Follow Me Down
by I Hate Wednesdays
Summary: Heaven would follow him to the ends of the earth. To hell and back. However, when the dead rises Heaven fears that she will no longer be able to stay by his side. Heaven has a dark secret that could ruin their relationship forever. Then, when they flee the farm, Heaven disappears. Something she has a nag of doing. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

_August 1995_

"_When you're young you always take what you can get"_

"_Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

_ The grass beneath her toes was wet, her feet bare and bruised. It was late, stars pricking the dark fabric of the night sky, crickets and cicadas sang. Her heart pounded in her chest, a bird trapped in a cage of bones, blood rushing in her ears. Heaven was running from everything, a habit she had begun to take up after she met him. _

_ Her Mama would beat her with a belt if she knew where her daughter was running off to on the nights when Job was home drinking. Martha Jones was a Bible barring woman so devout she refused to let her daughter attend public school, instead forcing her into a privet school for girls. Heaven wasn't one to act out, but the girls at her school had boyfriends and talked about sex so often that she realized what she was missing out on._

_ There was something sweet about defying her mother's wishes. Sweet and bitter and sour and _delicious_. At first it was stupid little things her Mama would never allow. Lacy panties. Big, gaudy earrings. But it was her white innocence that caught his attention._

_ He was the kind of boy that the girls at her school wouldn't bat an eyelash to. They wanted to wined and dined; rich boys with money to back up their sugar coated words. But Heaven didn't want that. She wanted someone honest, someone who could hold her and make her feel safe and warm. Those boys couldn't do that. At first she thought he wouldn't do that either._

_ The first time Heaven lied to her Mama, she went to a party. Her Mama believed that she was sleeping over at Ruth's while in reality her daughter was drinking underage and dancing in a mini dress. Heaven wished she had never gone to that party, but she loved getting drunk off the adrenaline of defying her mother._

_ That night she had drank too much, her mind fuzzy and weak. A group of boys coaxed her into a bedroom, touching her and kissing her. She fought back, hoarsely crying out for help. Then the body was pulled off her, another boy slamming his fists into her attacker's face until his knuckles were covered in blood._

_ "Daryl, man! Chill, it was just a little fun!" one of the other guys tried to justify their actions but he didn't buy it._

_ Daryl didn't want to admit it and never would, but he was Heaven's knight in shining armor. He wrapped her up in his jacket and took her home, not a word passing between them. Her Mama beat her within an inch of her life, not bothering to call the cops on her attackers. After that Heaven would bump into Daryl on occasion and little by little, they were no longer "bumping" into each other, instead seeking the other out._

_ Since they had become friends of sorts, Heaven used him as a life raft. Which was why she was running to his trailer in nothing but a t-shirt and a pair of panties. _

_ Heaven snuck around the back and tapped on the window. It was open, letting the cool night breeze in. The room was dark and she prayed to God that he was in there. A low, irritated groan emitted from the shadows of the bed._

"_Daryl?" she whispered getting onto her tip toes. "Daryl, it's me!"_

_ She waited as he flicked on the light and shuffled out of bed. Heaven smiled as he helped her through the window, the screen long since thrown away after this had become a habit. For a moment Daryl started at the girl._

_ He had known Heaven since they were sophomores in high school and it was odd to see her slowly morph into a woman. Still, she failed to attract any of the boys in their area, all of them afraid to look past her Mama's scary threats and antics. But there she stood in nothing but a t-shirt, her feet bare and muddy, her long chocolate hair knotted and tangled. There were dried tears on her cheeks and her lip was busted, a bruise in the shape of a hand forming across her temple._

_ "Th' fuck happened to ya, girl?" he asked, moving her head this way and that, checking for more bruises. There were handprints around her neck and arms. _

_ "I ran away, Daryl! I ran away!" she was breathless, excited and still humming with adrenaline. "I did it!"_

_ Daryl froze. Martha would have every police officer in the county out looking for her. Knowing his luck and family name, they'd accuse him of kidnapping her and send him to jail without any questions. He narrowed his eyes at her._

_ "Heaven, darlin', ya can't stay here." He said gently, cupping her cheeks so she would look at him and not around the room. "Ya hear?"_

_ "No, no, no, that's just it!" Heaven grabbed his hands tightly; they were cold and small. "See, Mama killed Uncle Job! Cops are comin' righ' now! I can stay!"_

_ Daryl shook his head, unable to take in what had just been said. He didn't believe it, but after taking a quick glance towards his alarm clock he decided that she could stay the night. They'd talk in the morning when he wasn't half asleep and she wasn't hyped up after fleeing a crime scene. _

_ "C'mon, git in bed." Daryl carefully pushed her small frame to his mattress and crawled in after her. _

_ Heaven curled against his chest, content with the fact that his arms didn't loop around her waist and her ear wasn't pressed against his heartbeat. She still purred like a cat and smiled as she drifted off to sleep._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter One

June 2012

"_Love comes with such a cost"_

"_Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

It was a joke. It had to have been. The doctors were playing a very late April fool's joke and it wasn't funny. Heaven sat in her car in the parking lot of the clinic and cried, then cried all the way home. Daryl and Merle were out on a hunting trip that day, which was why she chose that day to go to the clinic. When she got home she sat in the car for over an hour, numb and terrified.

What would he say? Jesus, what would Merle do? Probably give some bullshit advice that they wouldn't listen to but would be scolded for not following it. Their trailer was too small for the three of them and with their two large hunting dogs…

This was no place or life for a baby. The doctor had told her that she was well over three months, already into the second trimester.

"Didn't you notice anything odd?" the doctor had asked when her mouth fell open in shock.

The only thing that was odd was that she still had a light period and a little nausea and the sight of peaches still made her ill. They had played it safe, they always had. Birth control. Condoms. Pull out. All of the tricks of the trade. Heaven counted on her fingers over and over trying to figure out when the baby could have been conceived but gave up after a while.

This was just a mess. Just like her life. A happy mess.

She was in bed when they arrived home. Bonnie trotted into the bedroom and curled up beside her mistress, licking away a few stray tears. Daryl came in after her, sitting on the bed and unlacing his boots. Heaven listened as he shed his jeans and sweaty top, sliding under the sheets next to her. She waited for silence, for the steady breaths of slumber.

"I love ya, Heaven." Daryl whispered into the darkness, something he only said when he was one-hundred percent sure she was asleep.

**A/N: My first Walking Dead fanfic. I know that a lot of Daryl/OC fics get A LOT of hate, but please, if you don't like it click that pretty little back button and keep your comments to yourself.**

**However, if you do like it, please review. I love feedback! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

July 2012

_"Now I know that there's a different way to die"_

_"Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

There was something about the group that didn't sit well with Heaven. While she had been with the Dixons, the group was a little uneasy around her, and she couldn't blame them. Even after they had acted kindly to her, she still felt a strange sense of isolation.

Heaven wasn't one to be chatty and make friends easily, so she spent most of her time skinning the squirrels or rabbits that Merle and Daryl brought back, seeing as how the other woman were uncomfortable doing it. Their tents were set up away from the others, isolating her further from the people she was meant to survive with. And that was what made her uneasy.

Even though the world was crawling with the undead, there was still a sense of hierarchy and minority, just as there had been when only the living roamed the globe. They didn't trust the Dixon brothers, yet they still ate the meat they brought back. It was rude in Heaven's eyes.

So she sat in Merle's folding chair and skinned the small animals, saving the skins for a blanket or something just as useful. A pot sat to her side, bits of chopped fat while the meat had been slit into strips. She was going to make jerky, something the kids could snack on between meals.

The scream of a car alarm made her pause from her work and look up. A red mustang pulled up beside the other cars, Glenn jumping out of it with a large smile. Another truck pulled in beside it, unloading all the people from their run. All except Merle. Heaven didn't move or get up to ask what had happened. Heaven didn't want to get involved with the other half of the group. If they didn't give two shits about the Dixon brothers and herself, then she didn't give a shit about their affairs.

What did interest her was the new arrival. Lori's husband was back from the dead, something that made Heaven's lips curve into a smile. Karma had come into play, Heaven guessed. She wasn't stupid about what was going on between Shane and Lori, in fact she'd stumbled across them once or twice on one of her many trips to relieve herself.

Setting down her knife, Heaven rested her chin on her palm and watched the husband saunter over towards her, probably to tell her the news of Merle. He was dressed in a police uniform, taking off his hat so he could crouch down in front of her. The man wasn't bad looking and she quickly concluded that he was wasting his time with Lori.

"I hear yer Merle's sister-in-law." He stated, squinting at her.

Heaven idly glanced at her ring finger, finding it bare. "I ain't married, officer. Jus' tell me what happened ta him."

The man peered back over his shoulder at Shane who was standing a few feet away with his hands on his hips. He looked like he was afraid to come near her in fear of catching something deadly. Fact was, Bonnie and Clyde didn't seem to like him very much and would snarl and snap their jaws at him if he came to close.

"He was puttin' our lives in danger, for the safety of the group we had to leave him behind." The man finally said.

Heaven closed her eyes. Daryl was going to be furious; he'd throw a tantrum like a spoilt child. Deep down, Heaven was a little glad that Merle was out of the way. He was always putting them in danger and he had a habit of being unable to keep his thoughts in his head. She didn't blame the officer for doing what he did for the greater good of the group. Better one than all.

"Ain't me ya gotta worry 'bout." Heaven sighed, glancing back over her shoulder. "It's Daryl. But I ain't tellin' him, that's yer problem."

"I'll take full responsibility." The man nodded respectfully, then added, "I'm Rick Grimes, for future references."

"Heaven Jones," Her voice was flat and her tone cold.

Shane glared at her and snorted, quietly denying that the group was pretending she didn't exist. Rick stared at her for a moment, then stood placing his hat back on the crown of his head. He tipped his hat and wandered off back to the group.

X

After hearing the news of his brother, Daryl did throw a tantrum like Heaven knew he would. She stood at the edge of the woods, arms crossed as she observed the shuffle between the men. It angered her that she barely had time to speak with him since his return from his hunting trip. Not even a glance. But maybe it was the hormones.

She took a few steps towards the group when Rick told Daryl where Merle was, that he was probably still alive. Her fists balled at her sides when Lori suggested that Rick take him back into the city for Merle. It was a waste of time and manpower. The elder Dixon was better off dead in her eyes- though she'd never say that to Daryl or out loud for that matter.

"Ya jus' got back, ya really gonna leave me again?" Heaven snapped, drawing attention towards her.

Daryl stormed to her, the first that he had noticed her since his arrival. His eyes were bright with anger and his muscles tight with adrenaline, a thin layer of sweat making them glossy. Once he was toe-to-toe with her, he stared her down, annoyed that she only glared back up at him, arms crossed.

"That's my brother." Daryl pointed towards the city. "That's my family."

"Ain't I family, too?" Heaven hissed.

"Yer such a selfish bitch!" Daryl growled, storming away from her to prepare for his trip into the city to fetch his brother.

Heaven closed her eyes tight, refusing to let the hot tears fall. Hint after hint after hint, yet not a single one got through to him. She wanted him to realize it first, before it became too noticeable. She'd probably have to make it known soon before questions are raised and accusations were thrown around.

X

When the horde invaded later that night, Heaven was the closest to death than she had ever been. Job's hands around her throat was a tickle compared to the fear she felt when that Walker grabbed her. It was her hair it had grabbed, a fistful of long chocolate hair, hair that she had braided neatly. The rope that reached her bottom was almost the noose that ended her life.

The only reason she had gotten away was because she hat sawed off the end of her braid, freeing herself and giving her the time to stab the Walker in the head. Since the horde was coming from the other direction, Heaven took off into the forest to hide until Daryl came back. Gun shots rang behind her. Screams. Shouts. Pleas for help. All behind her.

Daryl would be pissed, she knew, but she also had another life to take care of. Something else that depended on her. Bonnie and Clyde darted after her, flanking her sides. Pressing her back against a tree, Heaven listened for any kind of movement. The only thing she would hear was more gun shots and screams. She closed her eyes, panting.

She didn't dare head back to the camp until the shots had stopped and when they had she was nervous about going back. The remainder of the group would look at her funny for looking after herself and not helping the others. Heaven wanted to remind them that at times like that it was every man for himself. But she didn't want to get on their bad side even more.

Daryl had gone into the woods to look for her after Lori told him she had seen Heaven dart into the woods after she was attacked. He was afraid of what he would find; he'd lost enough that day as it was. The Walker at their camp was stabbed, meaning she had gotten away. The dogs were gone too, another good sign.

When he spotted her leaning against a tree, he breathed a sigh of relief.

**A/N: Please review, they're lovely things! If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

June 1993

_"Follow me down to the river tonight"_

_"Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

_ She was only sixteen, barely seventeen, and Daryl was at least a good year or two older than her. It was criminal. But there he was sitting on a large rock overlooking the lake, watching Heaven paddle around the moonlit water. It was her idea, since the summer nights were so hot, but it was a terrible idea on his part. _

_ Heaven stripped down to her underwear when they reached the lake, darting into the cool water. He was in trouble. Instead of swimming with her, he stripped off his shirt and sat down, playing lifeguard. _

_ From time to time she would giggle and splash around the water. In the glittering moonlight she looked like a mermaid with her long chocolate hair and fragile body. Her laughter was her siren's song and dear Jesus he going to hell. _

_ "Can't you swim, Daryl?" Heaven asked innocently, folding her arms over the rock, resting her chin on her wrists. _

_ It was a trap, and either way he was going to fall. If he told her he could swim, he'd have to explain to her why he wasn't. And if he said no, she would beg to teach him. As far as he was concerned there was still a law about fooling around with underage girls and he didn't feel like going to jail. _

_ "Don' really feel like it." He said, daring to peer down at her bright blue eyes. _

_ "Yer no fun." She pouted, pushing away from the rock and sinking back into the dark water. _

_ Daryl sighed. His relationship with her was taking a dangerous turn; he couldn't afford to let her stick around much longer. She was too innocent, too pure, and too perfect and he didn't want to ruin her. Hell, he didn't want anyone to do that, let alone himself. But part of him didn't want to let her go. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Four

July 2012

_"Your hand slips across my skin"_

_"Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

Heaven spent a good part of the next morning vomiting every ounce of food in her stomach. She leant against a tree with her back to the group, where Daryl could see her if another Walker wandered by. He had tried to take care of her but she shooed him off, annoyed. After that she dry heaved until Jacqui sat her down in the shade with a bottle of water.

"After all that you'll be dehydrated, honey." The kind woman smiled, gently rubbing Heaven's back.

"It's the smell," Heaven tried to justify her sickness, afraid that she could see right through her.

"It's a hard thing to get used to, huh?" Jacqui sighed.

For a while Heaven sat in the shade trying to calm her stomach. She felt guilty for not helping with the bodies but she couldn't risk getting hurt. The Walkers were piled up and burned, while the deceased members of the group were buried. Once the bodies were buried, Daryl approached her and crouched down by her knees, gently cupping them with his large hands.

"How ya feelin'?" he asked, worry flickering across his eyes.

"Better," she mumbled, fiddling with the empty water bottle instead of meeting his eyes.

"Listen, 'bout what I said yesterday…" he scratched the back of his head, struggling to find the right words to say. "I didn' mean it. I hope ya know that."

Heaven nodded timidly, struggling not to cry.

Daryl watched her bite her lip, her eyes still focused on the water bottle. He took her hands in his and helped her up, wrapping his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. Daryl pulled back and cupped her cheeks, find them wet with tears. He knew Heaven hated to cry, she hated the sign of weakness it showed.

"Aw, darlin'," he cooed, wiping her tears with the pads of his thumbs. "I didn' mean ta make ya cry. I ain't gonna leave ya again. I promise."

And she believed him.

X

Heaven slept while the group made their way towards the CDC. Daryl didn't wake her when they stopped and left Jim on the side of the road. She was curled up across the seat using his thigh as a pillow.

He chewed on his thumbnail. He'd lost Merle; he couldn't lose Heaven as well. Daryl knew that she would never leave him of her own will and that's what scared him. In the world that they lived now, there may come a time when he needs her to run but her loyalty would hold her back. She'd die with him, his Juliet.

Since they'd run away from their trailer in hope of finding safety in Atlanta, Heaven had changed. She was quiet, guarded, cold. She'd never been very talkative, but he expected her to share the chores with the other women and make friends, after all they'd be together for a while. But she hadn't. The only affection she had shown was giving each child a baggie of jerky before the caravan left.

He was worried for her. He was worried the cruel world had changed her.

If only he knew.

X

The smell of spaghetti made her ill. She didn't touch the wine. Heaven was miserable. Sure they had found sanctuary, but now they were in close quarters now, anyone would find out her secret. Her rounded stomach, swollen and bloated, was beginning to cause her problems. One of Daryl's shirts seemed to do the trick but not for long.

"Are you feeling alright, Heaven?" Dale asked kindly, directing the attention of the group towards the young woman.

"Ya haven't had a drink, darlin'. That ain't like ya." Daryl pointed out, setting down his bottle of whiskey to peer at her.

"I'm fine, just tired." She replied, smiling but it was forced and fake.

"Thank ya for the jerky, Miss Heaven." Carl chimed happily, flashing her a toothy grin.

Heaven nodded shyly and bowed her head, avoiding everyone's gazes.

After dinner Dr. Jenner lead them down the hall towards their rooms. At the announcement of hot water Daryl perked up and dragged Heaven to the showers. His drunken state made Heaven uneasy. She knew what he was planning and she was afraid. They'd had showers before and on rare occasions, baths. Daryl was probably hoping for some kind of alone time with her.

The hot water felt lovely on her sore skin, but she kept her back to him. His large hands ran down her sides, resting on her hips, his lips on her pulse. He was her heroine. A drug she couldn't get enough of. That's what he had always been to her. But now she loved him for more than that.

Her tears mixed with the pouring water. Daryl twisted her body around, her chest pressing against his. He leant down and pressed his forehead against hers. Her tiny hands gripped his forearms, steadying herself.

"Daryl," she timidly began, afraid to meet his eyes.

"You've been gettin' fat." Daryl chuckled drunkenly making her blood run cold.

"Ya really know how ta please a Lady." She huffed, slapping his cheeks to try and sober him up. "Daryl, did ya ever think 'bout havin' kids?"

There it was out. Well, mostly. Everything depended on his next answer.

He shrugged. "Not in this world."

Heaven closed his eyes. She knew what he meant but it still stung. "Okay."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Five:

December 2010

"Don't confess none of your sins"

"Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless

There were times in Daryl's life the he realized how lucky he really was. He could have slept around with women he'd met at bars or on the street corner to fill the lonely void, but since he'd met Heaven, he didn't have too. He had found someone that cared for him, loved him, and asked for nothing but protection and company.

Heaven could have been anything. With Martha's backing her daughter could have gotten into a great college and made something of her life; but instead she was a waitress at a diner and living in a rundown old trailer. Sometimes he found himself wondering if she was really happy where she was or if she just pretended to please him.

Heaven could have been anyone, chosen anyone, but she chose him and that's what made him so uneasy. Sometimes they fought, dishes were thrown, the dogs would bark and howl, their voices rose. Words were said that didn't have any meaning, only used as kindle to fuel the other's anger. But they always made up with rough kisses and bruised touches, trails of fire on each other's skin.

As Daryl lay in their bed, Heaven sitting on the edge on the phone with her Mama, he gazed up at her and wondered what she saw in a deadbeat like him. Her back was bare to him, freckled with a few scars here and there, bumps where her spin was. He ran the back of his index finger from her hip to her shoulder blade. Soft and smooth and easily bruised. He quickly pulled his hand away and rolled back over, staring at the wall.

He barely heard Heaven hang up and crawl next to him. Her arm draped over his side, lacing her fingers with his. Her chin propped on his shoulder. Daryl tried his best to ignore her, afraid that he would open his mouth and spit something vile at her after they had made love. Something they only did on rare occasions. "Made love" was sweet and soft and tender, the other times it was just sex, need, and desire.

"Why d'ya stay?" Daryl found himself asking before he could stop himself.

The words hung in the air, stale and bitter.

"That's a silly question." Heaven sighed, squeezing his fingers.

"No, it ain't."

Heaven sighed again and moved over when he twisted to face her. His expression was hard and questioning, blue eyes as piercing as the devil. There was no avoiding the answer. Her tiny hands lightly touched his cheeks.

"I stay 'cause I love ya." She said. "Not 'cause I feel obliged or trapped, but 'cause I wanna."

"Why?"

Heaven could see all of his insecurities flutter in his eyes. She'd know he'd always believed that she'd deserved better. That he was a nobody; no one worth loving. Daryl would never understand why she loved him so much or why she had chosen to stay with him instead of going to college. It was something he'd never get even if she wrote it down for him- an essay on all the things she adored about him.

"When I was in school all the girls used to date guys with money or status." Heaven began, smiling a little when his large hands found hers. "I asked my friend once why, and she said that every girl liked to be wined n' dined n' treated like a Princess. But it didn't mean anything. There was no affection or love. Just mindless sex and expensive gifts. I hated it."

"I can't ever git ya nice stuff though." Daryl pointed out pitifully. "Ya deserve-"

"No." Heaven cut him off. "I am the only one who can say what I do and don't deserve. And I hate that word. It makes it sound like people are objects to be awarded."

Daryl stared at her, at loss for words. She was beautiful, even more so after sex, with her hair tasseled, her skin glowing, lips bruised red. No, she wasn't an object and he'd never treated her as such. If she had left him then she would have been treated like a trophy for her asshole husband to cheat on. Yeah. Yeah, she was right; he just didn't want to admit it.

"I really do love ya, darlin'."

"Glad to finally hear it. Love ya, too. Now git some sleep."

**A/N: please review! They're lovely things! If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six:

July 2012

_"For the love that I hate, I'm going to hell!_

_For the lies that I make, I'm going to hell!"_

_"Going to Hell" The Pretty Reckless_

Blood rushed in her ears. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Heaven felt short of breath- a panic attack gripping her throat. She wasn't worried about herself, hell, if there wasn't another life nestled inside her like a parasite she would have opted to sit down and let the flames take her. She didn't feel the need to voice it, the fact that she was carrying the redneck's baby. No one needed to know. No one needed to baby her or treat her any different.

An hour or so before they had all learnt that they were infected. The sickness, whatever it was, was in them all. It was hard to believe, but it seemed to be more believable then the dead roaming the earth, hunting the hunters. After the news was broken, Daryl went back to their room to drink away the information. The other's sat in their rooms, thinking things through. Heaven didn't. She paced up and down the hall.

Carol had come out and asked her if she was alright, but the younger girl didn't reply. Fingertips brushing against the wall, thumbnail between her teeth, Heaven was having trouble keeping calm. Daryl didn't notice her behavior until the air conditioning stopped and everyone peeked out of their rooms to question Dr. Jenner. Only then did he wrap his arm around her waist, commenting quietly on her weight.

Now she was learning that the CDC center was going to self-destruct? Heaven wasn't sure how much more she could take. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Everyone was begging, crying, shouting. Daryl tried to attack the Doctor, but was held back. Heaven stood dumbly, leaning on one of the desks, shaking.

She glanced over at the children. Scared and sobbing weakly. Heaven walked to Dr. Jenner and knelt in front of him, grabbing his hands in hers and squeezing tightly. She locked her gaze with his.

"Please," she mumbled, loud enough for only him to hear. "I'ma have a baby, I can't die too soon."

With that Dr. Jenner agreed to let them free. Jacqui stayed behind along with the Doctor and Andrea. Heaven didn't look back, but gave Jacqui's shoulder a squeeze before letting Daryl lead her out. A quick whistle from the hunter had the dogs barking and bringing up the rear of survivors. Heaven numbly watched the men attack the shatterproof glass, moths in a glass jar. A grenade, the glass giving way. Daryl pulled her out through the yard littered with rotting bodies and filth. It was like her brain had gone on autopilot. She just wasn't there. It wasn't until they were driving away that she slowly snapped out of it.

"What'cha say ta him that made him open th' doors?" Daryl asked, glancing at her casually.

"Nothing important." She replied quietly. "Only a little lie."

Daryl chuckled. "What kinda lie?"

"I told him I was pregnant."

The cab went silent, the smile faded from Daryl's lips. "Jesus, I hope it's a lie."

Heaven felt a bit of her die, a part of her heart shattering. She turned back to the window, curling up beside the door, as far away from him as she could get. Bonnie poked her head through the back window, panting and spluttering drool on the seat between them. It was animal instinct; the hunting dog knew when her mistress was upset. Daryl knew that and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Darlin', someday we'll have ourselves a bunch o' babies." Daryl reassured her, reaching over and grabbing her hand. "Just when it's safe."

Who knew when that would be?

**A/N: Please review! Also, I noticed I forgot to add in where the dogs were in all this... so um... yeah...**

**If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Seven:

August 2012

_"I'll be down here on my knees"_

_"Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

"Fond memories of that truck." Heaven sighed, crossing her arms.

Carol and Lori stood beside her, their children wrapped in their arms, watching the men unload the motorcycle from the truck. It was late in the afternoon and they needed to get going soon before the sun set. They were leaving behind a few cars, cramming into the ones that remained. Daryl would never give up the Triumph; Merle's pride and joy.

"How long have you known Mr. Daryl?" Carl gazed up at Heaven with innocent eyes.

"Since I was in high school." She replied coolly, rubbing her stomach to try and ease the tightness and discomfort. "He's been the only family I've had for a while."

"The two of you seem close." Carol pointed out, smiling when the men hooted with success. "Were you planning to marry before all this?"

Heaven shrugged, grinning back to Daryl when he turned to smirk at her, pleased with himself. "Not sure. Never talked 'bout it."

"Maybe we'll come across a priest." Lori joked, leading the kids back to Carol's Cherokee.

Heaven approached Daryl, taking her bag from him and slinging it over her shoulder. While he was busy grabbing his bag, she ran her fingers idly along the chipped blue paint on the passenger side door. Clyde whined from the back of the truck.

"Memories, huh?" Daryl asked, noticing her admiring the old truck.

Heaven smiled and moved her hand to rest it on Bonnie's head. "Lost my virginity in this ol' piece of shit."

Daryl chuckled and lightly pressed his hand on the small of her back, steering her towards the RV. She knew he wouldn't let her ride the Triumph, afraid that if anything happened she'd be ten times safer in the RV. Heaven tried not to mind it, but she didn't feel any privacy with all those people.

While they drove along Heaven stretched out along the aisle of the RV, staring at the ceiling. The sound of clicking metal, Shane cleaning his gun, made her nervous and anxious. Andrea had tried to make some small talk with her but after a few one-word answers, she gave up.

Glenn glanced back, trying to figure out what was making his seat shake, and found Heaven on her back. Her cowboy booted foot was pressed against the back of his chair, jiggling in a nervous manner. Heaven caught him peering back at her and retracted her foot with a small apology.

"I've been meaning to ask…" Glenn timidly asked, scratching his temple. "Why's a… girl like you with Daryl and his brother?"

"I've been wondering that myself." Dale added in his normal happy tone, glancing back at her through the rear view mirror.

"He was the boy my Mama didn't want me hangin' 'round with." Heaven answered, continuing to stare at the ceiling.

"A little teenage rebellion romance?" Andrea chuckled, adding into the conversation.

"No," the other woman said flatly. "He took better care of me than my Mama. Givin' me a place ta sleep on the nights my Uncle was 'round drinkin'."

"I don't see Dixon- either of the Dixon brothers- as the kind of men to give a shit 'bout anyone but themselves." Shane grunted, loading bullet after bullet into his clip.

"Same could be said fer yerself." Heaven muttered, yawning she added, "Nah, Daryl's always been like that ta everyone since I've known him. Merle never cared fer me. Called me his "baby brother's whore" whenever he was home."

"He called me "sugar tits"." Andrea remembered bitterly.

Heaven snorted.

Dale gave a displeased noise from up front. Heaven sat up and leaned over Glenn, staring out the windshield. A sea of empty cars, dead and empty. It was so eerie it was sickening. Daryl drove around the side and motioned for them to follow him. They were halfway through the swarm of metal corpses when the RV stopped.

Bonnie and Clyde perked up, eager to get out and stretch their long legs. They probably needed to relieve themselves as well. Shane made a comment about how the dogs were more trouble than they were worth. Heaven brushed it off and followed Andrea out of the RV, whistling for the dogs to follow. Clyde's large body knocked into Shane as he was going down the steps, causing him to stumble.

While the group talked, Heaven stood off to the side and watched the dogs sniff around and do their business. Lori voiced that she wasn't comfortable with going through the cars and Heaven had to stop herself from snorting. It wasn't like their owners needed any of the supplies anymore. Most of them were either dead or wouldn't stay dead.

When Lori and Carol went to go look through a few cars, Heaven wandered behind them. Bonnie stayed close to her side while Clyde was with Daryl and T-Dog gathering fuel. Stopping at a minivan, she peered in and found it empty. Yanking the door open she found two car seats and a diaper bag on the floor. She sighed.

Heaven lent in and found a little pair of blue baby booties. Bonnie whined beside her, resting a huge paw on the bloodied car seat.

"I know, baby." Heaven cooed sadly, patting her companions head.

"Heaven! Heaven!"

She turned to find Rick motioning for her to get under a car. Confused, she looked past him only to find a massive horde of Walkers heading their way. Panic and fear surged through her. Bonnie backed up, growling at the oncoming threat. There was no way her seventy pound pet was going to fit under a car.

"Heaven!" it was a harsh whisper. Lori.

Without a second thought Heaven took off into the woods, Bonnie hot on her heels. She wasn't sure if the Walkers would find her and tear her apart, but she wasn't leaving her precious dog behind to be the undead's lunch.

After years of living with the Dixon's in the backwoods of Georgia, Heaven had learnt a thing or two about hunting and roaming the forest. Her steps were light, barely making a sound. Once she thought she was far enough she pressed her back against a tree and waited.

X

"I called for her but she just ran!" Lori gasped, wrapping her arms around Carl.

Daryl ran a hand through his hair. Sophia and Heaven were gone. He glanced around; there wasn't a group of Walkers munching on the corpse of a dog, so Bonnie was alive and obviously with her. Clyde, a dog as tall as the little Grime's boy when sitting down, nuzzled the boy's cheek, wiping away a few stray tears in the process.

"I'ma go look. Maybe Heaven found Sophia an' they're waitin' fer us." Daryl pointed out, praying that he was right.

"Why would Heaven just run?" Lori exclaimed, obviously shaken up over the horde and losing Sophia.

Daryl glared at her. "Fight or flight, she chose to run. Always has. It's what she does."

"Could get her killed." Shane sneered, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.

Biting his tongue, Daryl followed Rick into the woods to look for the girls.

X

They found Heaven just as the afternoon was turning into night. She was huddled by a tree, the corpse of a Walker a few feet from her. Her legs were pulled to her chest, her face buried in her knees. Bonnie perked up at the sound, then bounded after the men when she spotted Clyde.

Heaven looked up as Daryl crouched in front of her. His large, dirty hands caressed her face, thrilled to find her alive. They glanced back at Rick who was smiling. At least they had found one of the girls.

**A/N: I've read through a few previous chapter and spotted so many errors! I AM SO SORRY! But the reviews you guys are giving me are so lovely! Thank you! I'll try my best! Oh, and if you're wondering what kind of dogs Bonnie and Clyde are:**

**Bonnie: A black Phu Quoc Ridgeback**

**Clyde: Blue Brindle Irish Dane (an Irish Wolfhound and Great Dane mix)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Eight:

Febuary 1994

_"The end is the end_

_Don't bless me father for I have sinned"_

_"Going to Hell" The Pretty Reckless_

_ Soft kisses. Gentle touches. Under the stars. Tangled Limbs. Heaven loved every moment of it, adoring how carefully he touched her as though he was afraid of breaking her, of bruising her. The words he whispered were sweet and muffled against her skin and sealed with wet kisses._

_ He'd asked her over and over if she was sure she wanted to do this. She'd told him that she wanted to experience her first time with him before her Uncle crossed the line and ruined her forever. Daryl promised to kill her Uncle if he ever touched her again. She quieted him with a timid kiss, cupping his cheeks with her tiny hands. Before each article of her clothing was peeled off, he'd ask for permeation. A proper gentleman._

_ Tired and a little sore (on her part) they lay together in the cab of his truck, wrapped up in an old comforter he'd brought with them. Through the foggy window they gazed at the stars. Heaven raised her hand towards the ceiling, giggling in excitement. If her mother found them, they would both be six feet under. Daryl ghosted his fingers up her arm and laced his fingers with her._

_ It was perfect._

_X_

_ "Bless me father for I have sinned." Heaven crossed herself and waited for the Priest to speak._

_ "When was your last confession, child?"_

_ Heaven took a deep, calming breath. "A week ago, father."_

_ "And what is your confession?"_

_ "Father, I think I'm breaking a commandment." She mumbled meekly, playing with her fingers in her lap, her pink pearl rosary twisted between her knuckles._

_ The Priest grew confused. "Which one?"_

_ "Obey thy mother and father." Heaven replied. "I'm breaking it because I think I'm falling in love with a man my mother would never allow me to see. And father, I'm loving every second of it."_

**A/N: I'm going to try and post at least two chapters a day- that's my goal. **

**Slytherin-Princess10- Is it foreshadowing? Good on you for picking that out! ...You'll just have to wait and see! **

**P.S. Keep reviewing, they're lovely motivators! **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Nine:

August 2012

_"My body breathes_

_Heart still beats_

_But I am not alive"_

_"Follow Me Down" the Pretty Reckless_

_"I got my ticket for the long way round_

_The one with the prettiest of views_

_It's got mountains_

_It's got rivers_

_It's got sights to give you shivers_

_But it sure would be prettier with you"_

Only three remained at the RV, two on top of the large vehicle watching out over the ocean of glittering metal carcasses. The other half had gone off in search of Sophia, hoping that this time they would be lucky. While Dale stood watch and T-Dog rested in the shade, Heaven lay on her back on the roof, hands raised towards the sky. Her fingers danced below the blue and white, the sweet song wrapped in a warm summer's day.

_ " When I'm gone_

_When I'm gone_

_You're gonna miss me when I'm gone_

_You're gonna miss me by my walk_

_You're gonna miss me by my talk, oh_

_You're gonna miss me when I'm-"_

Heaven stopped her song and sat up, rubbing her stomach. She frowned at the strange feeling. Dale looked over and asked her if she was alright, she ignored him, laughing when she realized what the feeling was. Turning back to him, she smiled brightly and continued to rub circles on her swelling stomach.

X

Heaven sat on top of the RV with Dale. Daryl had insisted that she get some sleep but with Carol sobbing in the back, she found it hard to do so. Instead she opted to sit outside and stare at the stars, just like she had when she was a teenager. Daryl warned her again to go to bed when he shuffled out with a flashlight, announcing that he was going to shine the light for Sophia. Heaven sighed and watched him disappear with Andrea in tow.

"He's just worried 'bout you, that's all." Dale reassured her with a smile.

There was something about Dale that made Heaven at ease. Maybe it was because he reminded her of her father, right before he died. The honest man that left her mother when she was just a baby, eager to get away from the God-fearing woman.

Heaven leaned back and pressed a hand to her side, everything was starting to get uncomfortable. "I know he is. But I ain't a little girl."

"Does he know?" Dale asked, an eyebrow quirked in curiosity.

"About what?"

"You being pregnant; does he know about it?" Dale confirmed making Heaven pale and pull her hand away from her side.

"Ya ain't allowed ta tell anyone." She warned, flicking her gaze towards the edge of the forest, afraid that Daryl was hiding close by, listening to them. "He ain't allowed ta know."

Dale crouched beside her, setting the butt of his rifle on the roof and holding onto the barrel. "If he's the father, he has a right to know."

Heaven stared at him with fearful eyes. "No, he can't know. He'll leave me."

"Why would he do that? No, Daryl wouldn't leave you if he knew." Dale said gently, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "How far along are you?"

"Five months, or 'round that." She whispered, casting her watery eyes to her hands. "He'd always said he didn't want kids- just not yet. Not until it's safe."

Dale sighed and looked out at the sea of cars. "I don't think it's ever going to be safe like it was before all this. But you can't pretend that the baby will go away if you ignore it. It's still there."

"Trust me," Heaven groaned, rubbing her stomach. "I know."

The bright shine of a flashlight ended their conversation. Daryl and Andrea emerged from the tree line and made their way towards the RV. They were alone, Sophia nowhere in sight. Heaven sighed. Daryl was trying his best to look for that little girl, the little girl he saw as either himself or Heaven. Abused by her father like Daryl and protected by her mother like Heaven.

Daryl sauntered over to the RV, lightly grabbing Heaven's heels as they hung over the edge. "Thought I told ya ta git ta bed."

"Can't sleep." Heaven mumbled, glancing over to Dale.

Dale smiled. "Sorry 'bout that. I stalled her with a little conversation."

"Right, bed. Now." Daryl cupped her calves and helped her down the side of the RV slowly, her hands on his shoulders.

With her feet on the ground, Heaven bid Dale goodnight and led Daryl lead her back into the RV, tucking her into the driver's seat next to Glenn, who was snoring softly in his sleep. Daryl placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, ordering her to sleep.

X

Heaven fell in love with the Greene Farmhouse the moment she saw it. Daryl chuckled at her when they drove in, her face pressed against the window of Carol's Cherokee. She'd always wanted to live in an old farmhouse with wooden floors and a wraparound porch. And there it was, right in front of her.

The first time Daryl had seen her laugh- actually laugh- and smile for months was just after she opened the passenger side door. Heaven raced out of the car and danced around the yard, taking in the rolling pasture and cattle. Even with the gloomy mood, it was the little things that could make a person smile. Someone who hadn't smiled in a year. Someone Daryl thought was slipping away from him day by day.

"Daryl! Daryl, look!" Heaven sang, dashing to him and wrapping her arms around him so quickly he dropped his bags. "It's a farm!"

He chuckled, relieved to see her happy for once since that awful night eighteen months ago. Tucking his arms under her arms he spun her around and kissed her cheek.

X

_ February 2011_

_Daryl sat in the hard plastic chair, bent over with his head in his hands. He'd prayed to every god there was at least twice. He had paced the entire hospital, accepted the coffee Merle had brought when he visited a few hours before. _

_ Two days ago Daryl wouldn't know what an ectopic pregnancy was or how it would affect him. But it had. The doctors said Heaven was lucky she saw the signs early or her fate could have been much worse. Daryl wasn't sure how it could have been even more heartbreaking than it was. In the middle of the night the woman that he loved began screaming in pain, their sheets soaked with blood. _

_A miscarriage. That's what they thought at first and he wasn't sure which was worse, losing the baby or having the misplaced fetus almost kill her. It had been two days since her surgery and she just laid there. Sometimes she'd sleep and sometimes she just stared at the ceiling, unresponsive to the world around her. _

_Still, Daryl refused to leave her side. He only wished that she'd show her emotions, even if it was anger or frustration or irritation. He'd take every punch and kick that she'd throw at him if it made her wipe that blank look off her face. _

_Daryl was afraid that she was slipping for good. The doctor told him that they could try again, after all, she still had another ovary. But that didn't matter. He didn't want to try again if it meant putting her in even more danger. Not again. _

**A/N: If you're wondering what an ectopic pregnancy is; it is when the fertilized egg attaches itself to somewhere other than the lining of the uterus. Normally it happens in the tubes and the growing fetus ruptures the tube, causing internal bleeding.**

**The song Heaven sings is the Cup song sung by Anna Kendrick.**

**Please review guys! I love them! A few of them are so nice I blush! Thank you!**

**If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Ten:

August 2012

_"Baby there's no need to run_

_I'll love you well_

_I wanna settle down"_

_"Settle Down" Kimbra_

While Lori was not pleased with Heaven's gleeful actions on the property of a mourning family, Heaven was not at all convinced by Shane's words at the funeral. Growing up Heaven lived with a man that could lie through his teeth well enough to make the devil look like a saint. She knew a liar when she saw one. In fact, Heaven never really got a warm, fuzzy feeling from the man. He'd tried to start awkward small talk with her once or twice, but she ignored him and walked away.

Heaven didn't like liars, but she hated confrontation even more.

After the funeral for Otis, Lori approached Heaven, grabbing her forearm. The other woman looked angry over something, confusing the younger female. It was the same look her Mama used to give her before a sound beating. Heaven wasn't pleased to say the least.

"That woman just lost her husband; you can't show up dancin' 'round their front yard like that!" Lori hissed. "Show some respect."

Heaven tore her arm from the other woman's grasp. "Yes, mother."

X

Bonnie had taken a liking to the young Grimes boy. The large black dog spread itself out on Carl's bed, resting it's head on the boy's pillow. The pair was napping when Heaven found them, the sight bringing a smile to her face. A huge paw was draped over Carl's side, as if the dog was hugging him, and in return his own arm held the dog close.

Daryl appeared behind her, placing a hand on her hip, peeking into the room. Of course Heaven was watching over the child. She'd always wanted children, since he'd known her. Heaven looked up at him, blue eyes bright and pretty.

"I'ma go lookin' in th' woods." He told her, squeezing her hip a little. "Ya fine here by yerself?"

She nodded, turning back to Carl with a smile. "I'll be just fine."

X

Exhausted, Heaven slept in a little longer than she wanted. It was past noon when she rose, stretched out her sore muscles and popped stiff joints. There were no perks in being pregnant, she decided, no beautiful glow when you're in so much damn discomfort. Tossing on one of Daryl's- No, it was Merle's now that she looked closer- shirt's and a pair of jeans she couldn't button anymore, Heaven emerged from the tent she shared with Daryl.

"Mornin' sleepin' beauty." Carol greeted as she washed the laundry. "I woulda woke ya but I figured you needed some rest."

Heaven pressed her palm against her forehead. "Haven't been feelin' well lately. Ya seen Daryl?"

Carol nodded, "Took a horse and went off lookin' again."

"Wish he woulda woke me up." Heaven grumbled patting Carol's shoulder in a friendly manner.

She spent a good part of the afternoon at Carl's bedside with Bonnie lounging with them. Clyde was condemned to the floor due to his enormous size. Beth had come in once or twice to admire the dogs lovingly and question their size and ability. Carl liked to ask Heaven questions that she would answer with long funny stories.

He had asked if Daryl really saw a Chupacabra and Heaven asked him if he'd seen a ghost before. When he replied that he had, she told him that it was the same thing. The little boy asked if magic was real and she told him that she wasn't sure, but she believed in fairies. Lori peeked in on them once or twice and was thankful to the woman for being so kind to her son.

After a while she left him to rest and took the dogs out for some exercise. That was when Andrea shouted that she saw a Walker. Rick and the other three men rushed out towards it, ready to take care of the problem. Heaven approached the RV, pressing a hand on its side and one on her stomach.

"Put yer gun down." Heaven snapped up to the blond. "Sound'll attract more of 'em."

Dale told her to back off but she fired. The horrified scream of Rick caused Heaven to take to the fields, rushing towards them with her dogs at her heels. Dale and Andrea followed close behind, mortified at the sight of a bloody Daryl supported by Rick and Shane.

Heaven demanded if he was alive, if he was going to live. They told her he was fine, taking the hunter into the house for treatment. In cold, furious rage Heaven stormed over to Andrea and slapped her hard across her face with the back of her hand. The blond shrieked, holding a hand to her bruised skin before returning the hit. Heaven screamed in frustration and grabbed Andrea's shirt.

"Stop it! Stop!" Lori exclaimed, trying to pry the women apart.

"Andrea! Andrea, don't!" Dale called rushing over. "Don't hurt her, she's pregnant!"

Everything froze. Andrea released her grasp, staring at the brunette with wide, horrified eyes. Glenn stood paralyzed at the door, letting it swing back and lightly tap him. Everyone in the camp had heard. Everyone knew.

"You're… pregnant?" Lori whispered quietly like it was still a secret.

**A/N: Hmmm... not sure how I feel about this chapter or how it turned out. It seemed a little better in my head. What do you guys think? I wanna write more but I gotta get to bed cause I gotta get up early for a college acceptance orientation... sigh**

**Please review guys! I love them!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Eleven:

August 2012

_"Star so light and star so bright_

_First star I see tonight!_

_Star so light and star so bright_

_Keep him by side!"_

_"Settle Down" Kimbra_

Heaven glanced at Dale so pitifully that he felt his heart sink a little. Closing her eyes, Heaven listened to the list of accusations tossed at her. Why hadn't she told them? Why did she keep it a secret? She could have put them in danger! Does Daryl know? Why doesn't he know? The sheer mass of their questions made Heaven dizzy and irritated.

"I didn't tell y'all 'cause it ain't none of yer business!" she snapped, glancing around at the faces staring at her. "Y'all are nosey sons o' bitches! First y'all treat me n' Daryl like dumbass hicks when y'all couldn't even survive without us! Jesus H Christ, just leave me alone!"

Once they had gone silent and with one last glare at each of them, Heaven stormed off towards the house. She wiped away a few angry tears along the way, brushing past Glenn who had retreated back into the house when questions had first begun to be thrown. He tried to speak to her but stopped when she continued up the stairs as if she hadn't seen him.

Hershel was busy treating Daryl's wounds when she wandered in, solemn, with her arms wrapped around her body. Compared to the men that stood in the room, Heaven looked so small and frail. Rick put a hand on her shoulder, telling her that Daryl would be alright and she believed him, giving him a pitiful smile in return for his kindness.

"Hope those tears ain't fer me, darlin'." Daryl said softly as she made her way towards the bed, sitting beside him.

"Only a Dixon can kill a Dixon." She mumbled, pulling her knees to her chest as best as she could.

"Is this your wife?" Hershel asked, carefully stitching the wound in Daryl's side.

"No," Heaven sighed, wiggling her bare ring finger to show the old man.

"Don't need a fancy ring n' piece o' paper ta keep tell us were together." Daryl winced as the string through his flesh was given one last tug.

"Only woman I ever met that didn't want somethin' set in stone." Shane chimed in, earning a glare from the brunette on the bed.

"I'ma simple woman." She snapped.

After Daryl was treated and the men had left the room, Heaven curled up next to Daryl who wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He ran his fingers through her hair as she cried herself to sleep. Once her breathing eased into gentle slumber, Daryl sighed and kissed her hair.

He kept his conversation with Carol short and sweet, blushing at the tiny kiss on the cheek she gave him. She told him she had feed the dogs some scraps, asking if that was alright. He told her it was fine, that it was what they were normally fed. What caught his attention was when Carol asked if Heaven had told him the news.

"What news? Somethin' happen while I was gone?" he demanded, twisting his head around to meet eyes with a horrified Carol.

"Oh," she put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, she didn't? Well, um…"

Carol scurried off, mortified that she had spilled the beans before Heaven had.

X

Heaven was awake before Daryl the next morning. After redressing his wounds, he moved back to his tent to rest and heal. A few of the members of the group gave him a few funny glances he brushed off as normal actions towards him. Heaven was nowhere but he spotted Carl tossing an old tennis ball to the dogs, so she was close by.

He hated that she was keeping secrets from him, it wasn't like her. He was normally the one to lock up what he wanted hidden, saving them for the grave. Heaven admitted her faults to the priest during confessions and whispered them to him at night, the darkness shielding her face.

Daryl was sure that with the world the way it was now, everyone had their secrets and few wanted to tell. He had his and they had theirs. Still, with the world as it was, he had to protect Heaven more than he ever had. There couldn't be secrets between them. Not now.

After a short nap, Andrea visited his tent to apologize for shooting him. She was doing what she had to for good of the camp, he didn't blame her. Jokingly he asked why the book she had given him didn't have pictures, just to lighten the mood, but then Andrea said something that knocked him back.

"Congratulations, by the way." She smiled, digging her hands in her back pockets.

Daryl frowned, setting the book down so he could sit up.

"About the baby…" she paused, mirroring his confused expression. "Didn't you know she was pregnant?"

X

Heaven whistled to the dog, smiling at their cheerful game of chase. She rested one hand on the railing of the porch and the other hand pressed against her back. There was more of that strange fluttery movement today, it was kind of creepy, but more than she had gotten from her first failed pregnancy.

It wasn't like she wasn't thrilled to be pregnant again after so long, after so much misery, but there was still room for her to be nervous. The doctors said that a second pregnancy would be difficult, that it wasn't one-hundred percent, but she prayed every Sunday. God had heard her and answered her, just at the wrong time.

The day after she found out she was pregnant a second time, the dead started to walk the earth. All of the different ways she wanted to surprise Daryl flew right out the window as they loaded the truck and sped off towards Atlanta. She had wanted to wake him up with a few kisses and whisper in his ear that he was finally going to be a father. If she chickened out, she was going to write it on the bathroom mirror in lipstick before dashing off to work. Then the apocalypse happened.

Daryl paused at the steps behind Heaven, watching her. Part of him had known that she was pregnant, the signs were just screaming at him. She didn't drink the wine Dr. Jenner had given them. She had begun to wear his shirts, which were too baggy on her small frame. Insomnia. Tears. It was all there, all the signs, but he pretended not to see them. He was afraid. He was terrified that what happened the first time could happen again and without proper doctors and medical equipment, he could lose her. The baby would be noisy. She'd move too slow…

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts out of his head, and approached her.

"I take it they let it slip?" Heaven asked coolly as Daryl leant on the railing, his back facing the yard, arms crossed.

He nodded. "When were ya gonna tell me?"

She sighed, her shoulders drooping with stress. "I was gonna tell ya 'fore all this shit happened. Just became harder over time, I guess."

Daryl raked his eyes over her body, noting the swollen bump hidden behind one of Merle's old shirts, before locking his eyes with hers. Heaven had aged so much since they were teenagers. She used to have a band of freckles across her nose, but they had faded over time. Her hair used to reach the backs of her knees, but after fleeing her Mama, she cut a good two feet off. In his eyes, she was still the beautiful girl he fell in love with.

"How far 'long?" he grunted.

"Four months when I found out." She confessed, tearing her eyes away to watch the dogs in the yard. "Probably five or six, now."

He hummed a reply before straightening up to stand behind her, his arms wrapping around her middle. Daryl rested his chin on her shoulder, letting out a long tired breath when she leant her temple against his.

"As punishment fer not tellin' me," he began. "I git ta name 'em, and I think I like th' name Crystal. Name 'er after a stripper Merle used ta bring home."

Heaven laughed and slipped from around his arms, trotting away. Daryl grabbed her wrist and followed her.

"Uh-uh, darlin', ya gotta accept the punishment." He taunted, loving how Heaven blushed and lightly swung her arm.

X

"So no one really knows how to play a guitar?" Glenn whined at the camp later that night.

He had yet to find someone to make use of the old thing and the last time he asked, it was shot down. The group glanced around at each other, shaking their heads or ignoring the question. Daryl glanced over at Heaven as she finished her baked beans, setting the plate down at her feet.

"If ya go git me the damn thin', I'll play a song or two." She said, earning a few surprised stares.

Glenn jumped up and raced back to the porch to retrieve the guitar. Daryl shook his head, knowing what kind of music Heaven listened to, and knowing that the rest of the group probably wouldn't like the solemn lyrics.

While Heaven tuned it, T-Dog asked, "Where'd you learn to play?"

She smiled, "My Mama was a real uptight woman. Made me learn th' piano, guitar, and flute. Also forced me into gymnastics 'til my senior year; coulda been in the Olympics."

Daryl silently chuckled, knowing someone was going to ask for the story and knowing how that story went.

"Why weren't ya?" Carl innocently asked.

Heaven smirked. "Broke my own ankle to avoid it. My Mama wasn't the most lovin' woman, I was more like a show dog than a daughter."

She strummed a few chords, humming to herself.

_"You can't trust a cold blooded man_

_Girl, don't believe in his lies"_

It had been a while since Daryl had heard Heaven sing. She used to play the guitar for him when they were teenagers, singing all of his favorite songs. After Mabel died, he found her in the backyard by the bonfire pit, her old guitar on fire.

_"Can't trust a cold blooded man_

_He'll love you and leave you alive"_

Before she ran away, Heaven was an innocent Catholic schoolgirl. Her hair was long, not a touch of make-up, and her outfits were modest. When her Uncle was murdered and her Mama thrown in jail, Heaven's cousin, Mabel, come to town. The pair was as thick as thieves. As close as sisters. Mabel taught Heaven how to live, to dress, how to walk in heels. That was until Mabel slept with Merle, setting off a chain of events that broke Heaven's heart.

_"There's one thing you must understand_

_You can't trust a cold blooded man"_

**A/N: Guys, the reviews- they're so nice! **

**The song Heaven sings at the campfire is the acoustic version of "Cold Blooded" by the Pretty Reckless. **

**Please review! If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Twelve:

_May 1997_

_"Father did you miss me,_

_I've been locked up a while._

_I got caught for what I did but took it all in style"_

_"Going to Hell" The Pretty Reckless_

_ Mabel was gorgeous. Her long hair was bleached and never brushed but it still looked sun kissed and lovely. Her skin was creamy and smooth, without a blemish, and everything she wore was either too tight or too short. She smoked and drank and danced to anything. She gave blowjobs for spare cash and slept around for a few bucks. Mabel wasn't a prize catch._

_In all honesty Daryl didn't like her. She was a bad influence on Heaven, who had started to act out and spent a night at the police station for disorderly conduct with her partner in crime. He loved Heaven for being Heaven, the innocent, carefree girl that made him feel normal despite being a dropout that the whole town looked down on._

_He didn't like how Heaven was changing into someone she wasn't. He didn't want her to be a screw up like Mabel or Merle. Daryl refused to let her skip down that path of sin. Everything he had done lately was to keep Heaven away from Mabel._

_That night, the pair visited their lake. It was warm but not warm enough to swim in it so the pair decided to lie in the bed of his truck and stare at the stars. When that became too boring, they made love before calling it a night and heading home. The trailer was dark when they arrived home, even the porch lights were off. They figured that Merle had passed out early on and forgot to turn the lights on and Mabel was out at a bar somewhere._

_Together they stumbled through the dark house, their lips locked once again as Daryl found that he couldn't keep his hands off her. A grunt from Merle's room stopped their ministrations. A moan. The headboard hitting the wall. Normally Daryl would have ignored it but the baggie of meth on the kitchen table was hard to turn a blind eye to._

_He barged into the bedroom, ready to tell his brother off for breaking his parole._

_"What the fu-"_

_But what he found stopped him dead in his tracks._

_Instead of finding Merle in bed with some slut from a trashy bar, he found Mabel under his older brother. In an instant he knew that it was Mabel that had given Merle the meth, which could land his brother back in jail. In blind rage, Daryl threw his brother off Mabel, punching him square in the jaw._

_The noise caused Heaven to rush into the room. She froze in the doorway; her eyes locked with Mabel's, who looked like she was begging the younger girl for forgiveness._

_That was the first night that Daryl saw a different side to Heaven. The first time he found himself fearing the tiny woman. When Heaven stepped away from the door and told Mabel to get the hell out of her trailer, the blond began to scream at Heaven._

_"Why are ya such a fuckin' prude?" Mabel shouted, shimmying back into her dress. "Ya think Daryl's gonna marry ya? He just wants ta use ya 'til he finds some other Catholic girl to screw up!"_

_"I don' wanna marry anyone!" Heaven screamed, her fists tightening at her sides. "At least he loves me! What d'ya got ta say 'bout that? Fuckin' for cash ain't love!"_

_"I bet if he got a taste o' this, he'd leave ya." Mabel licked her lips and slipped over to Daryl who was leaning against the dresser, nursing his bruised knuckles._

_Before Mabel could lay a hand on Daryl, Heaven grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled. The pair of woman wrestled and screamed, fighting like cats until Mabel got free and ran out the front door. She was howling about calling the cops when Heaven retreated back into the trailer._

_Daryl barely had time to process what was happening when Heaven grabbed Merle's gun and stormed back outside. The gunshot that rang out in the air made his heart stop. Both men rushed outside, stopping dead at the sight of Mabel dead in their front yard._

_Daryl ran his hands through his hair, terrified._

_Merle sighed. "I'll go git the shovel."_

**A/N: You guys are so nice! But i get the feeling that I'll get a lot of confusion from this chapter... but it'll be cleared up next chapter!**

**Please review! They are so lovely and nice!**

**If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Thirteen:

August 2012

_"I could be found, I could be what you had saved"_

_"Under The Water" The Pretty Reckless_

The funeral for Sophia took a lot out of Heaven. Once upon a time, she buried her own twin sister after cancer took over her small body. Burying little Sophia opened old wounds and sitting in the hot sun at the tiny grave zapped her of her energy. Carol hadn't gone to the funeral, stating that her daughter had died before and that the child Walker that they had killed wasn't her daughter. So Heaven sat in her place, being there for the spirit of Sophia until Carol could.

After a while Daryl carried her to their tent on the edge of the farm and made her rest in the shade. Bonnie lay next to her, panting, but alert and ready for any threat. He sharpened a few sticks to make into arrows, keeping an eye on her from where he sat on a log.

"D'ya remember Mabel?" Heaven asked, rolling her head to the side to face Daryl

He paused, his knife still halfway through slicing off a bit of wood. He nodded, unable to find his voice. Daryl remembered Mabel, more than he'd like to, after all, he had helped bury her body in the woods.

"She visited once when Helena and I were seven." Heaven sighed, rubbing her stomach.

Helena. Daryl always shivered at that name. The name of the other soul the woman he loved had shared a womb with. The girl he'd never met. Heaven's little twin sister who left the mortal world far too young.

He turned to Heaven, wondering what had made her bring up the cousin she had killed so long ago.

"She used ta pinch or prick Helena ta see if I felt it." Heaven snorted, letting her hand drop to her side. "Apparently twins are meant ta have some kinda spiritual connection. She pushed Helena down th' stairs once."

"If it makes ya feel any better, I hated her too." Daryl said, going back to sharpening his arrows. "Killin' here was a bit harsh, though."

Heaven snorted.

X

_May 1997_

_For weeks after the incident with Mabel, Heaven locked herself up in Daryl's room for weeks. She barely ate, barely spoke, and every time Daryl came in to check on her, she was fast asleep with damp cheeks. Her pearl rosary was always clutched in her hands, a different bead held under her nail, counting off the last prayer she had mumbled before sleep overtook her. _

_He could never understand how Heaven, the innocent little Catholic girl that attended church every Sunday, could shoot someone. Sometimes he thought he had just dreamt it, but then he'd hear heaven sobbing in their room and he remembered that it wasn't._

_One day he was out at work, leaving Heaven and Merle at home. He knew Merle wouldn't lay a finger on Heaven, if she ever left their room. While he was gone, his older brother entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped in his lap. _

_"Didn' think ya had it in ya." Merle began, glancing over his shoulder at the still form of the girl he knew was awake. "Ain't killin' someone a big sin or som'n?"_

_"Wouldn't be th' first commandment I've broken." She snapped. _

_"I gotta ask, why'd ya do it?" _

_"Revenge fer all th' times she treated my sister like shit." Heaven growled, "Fer all th' times she treated me like trash."_

X

Heaven was sitting in the yard with Clyde rolled over on his back, rubbing his belly, when Maggie came out screaming at Andrea. Standing, she made her way over to the women and asked what had happened.

"Andrea left my sister alone so she could kill herself." Maggie sneered.

Heaven glared at Andrea, never finding anything that she could like in in the woman, and went inside to check on Beth. The girl was still crying, her wrist bandaged tightly. She carefully sat on the edge of the bed and wiped away the younger girl's tears.

"Shh, shh, shh." Heaven cooed, tucking a strand of golden hair behind Beth's ear. "No more tears, ya hear? Gotta be strong from now on."

Beth nodded and sniffled, trying to stifle her hiccups. Heaven sighed, and patted the girl's hand. She saw so much of herself in Beth. The childish innocence she had once held. A good little school girl; the southern bell with the world at her fingertips. Everything she had traded for love. Everything she had stained with sin.

**A/N: urgh... i don't think this chapter is any better! I feel like i'm ruining this! *cries***

**Please review and tell me how i'm doing- I think i need it!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fourteen:

August 2012

"_And although I screamed and I screamed,_

_Well no one came running_

_No I wasn't saved, I wasn't safe from you"_

_"Under the Water" The Pretty Reckless_

Heaven stepped out onto the porch, closing her sweater around her. Patricia had found a box of old maternity clothes, letting Heaven pick out the articles of clothing she wanted. Once upon a time, she daydreamed about wearing the large, flowing dresses, but now it made her uncomfortable. The cheerful flower print dress ended just below her knees and her cowboy boots left too much skin on her legs. At least the dress meant easier movement, even if that was hard to do.

She had finally snuck away from the domestic chores that the women happily did day after day. They said it made things seem normal, but Heaven saw it as stupidity. Instead of cleaning and teaching Carl some multiplication, they should have been collecting food and supplies for the winter. They should have been teaching Carl how to survive out in the woods if he happened to get separated, or how to use a weapon. In this world, there was no need for equations, only survival.

With a sigh, she headed out towards the slaughter shed. T-Dog told her that that was where Daryl was, interrogating the prisoner. She scoffed again at how the group used him but talked about him behind his back. Leave it to the redneck. Sure, he knows how to get some information outta someone.

Leaning against the wall beside the door, she listened to the young man beg and spit out blood. She tilted her head back, tapping it against the dry wood, and looked out into the fields. Her hands absentmindedly rubbed her swollen stomach, something she had begun to do a lot recently. Giving a silent prayer to God, she waited for Daryl to finish.

Daryl felt something snap inside him. The boy in front of him admitted to watching the rest of his group rape two young girls while their father watched. Any man- any _real _man- wouldn't idly sit by and allow that to happen. Hell, Daryl had almost killed the guy he found on top of Heaven when they first met. It made him sick.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Heaven waiting for him. He paused, his back pressed against the door, holding it open. She turned and took his hands, carefully wiping the blood off with a wet cloth. His eyes flicked towards Randall, who was watching the woman with wide eyes.

"Hey Miss, ya havin' a baby?" the young man squeaked.

Heaven glanced at him, but continued to dab the cuts on Daryl's hands. "What's it look like ta ya?"

Daryl pulled away and placed a hand on the small of her back, trying to lead her out of the shed. They didn't want the kid knowing more than he should. If he got lose then who knew what his vile group would do. Daryl shivered to think of the men getting their dirty hands on his girl and baby.

"Ain't ya scared?" Randall called out, catching the pair's attention. "I saw a woman bigger than ya get torn open by a bunch o' them things. Opened her up like a cantaloupe."

Daryl stormed back in and connected his knuckles with the boys jaw. "Ya shut yer damn mouth! She's gonna be just fine!"

"Lemme tell ya some'n, boy." Heaven started, resting a hip on the doorframe. "I know how ta survive in these woods better than anyone. Ain't no Walker gonna get a hand on me or my baby."

She jerked her jaw, quietly telling Daryl to leave the boy. The hunter let out an angered growl as he chained the door. Everything he was afraid of was voice by that weak, little teenager. Sure, Daryl could be confident and Heaven could be even more confident, but there was no telling what could happen. They were never safe.

After the lock was secure, Daryl spun around and hungrily kissed Heaven. It was rough and rushed and needy. His large hands cupped her face, holding her close. It took her breath away and when he pulled back; his blue eyes sparkled with all of his fears.

"I'ma take care o' ya. I promise. Ain't nothin' gonna happen ta ya. Nothin'." He mumbled, searching her eyes for love and hope but finding them overflowing with all of her anxieties and nightmares.

He kissed her again, tasting her salty tears on her lips. "Ain't nothin' gonna hurt ya."

X

_November 1995_

_She hated the taste of whiskey that stained her tongue. She hated the tears that dampened her cheeks, her knotted hair sticking to her skin. Her Mama hated it, but Heaven had always had a habit of running from her problems or from what scared her. When she was young and accidentally broke her Mama's favorite tea cup, she ran into the forest to hide. When the bullies at school teased her at recess, she ran home. _

_Job was home again that night, her mother out late at some church mixer. He had drank too much and crawled into her bed, touching her and kissing her and-_

_And she ran. _

_It wasn't hard to slip away from his drunken hands and flee out the front door. Broken glass and sharp gravel bit into the bottoms of her feet as she ran down the road. A thorn bush had torn up her thigh as she ran through the woods. The cold pricked her bare skin, the nightgown doing nothing to keep her warm. _

_Daryl was mortified to find Heaven on his doorstep. She had been lucky, Merle was in jail again and his father was out drinking at the local. Heaven was sobbing and looked like a down right mess. He picked her up, cradling her shivering body in his arms and let her lay in his bed. He washed her feet and wrapped them up. She told him about her Uncle. About what he did to her. _

_He told her she was smart for running and that the next time he tried to touch her she should run right over. Heaven was surprised at how soft his voice was. He was being so gentle with her, carefully slipping a pair of his socks on her bare little feet. Daryl's eyes were soft as he looked up at her. _

_"Mama says I'm dumb fer runnin' from all my problems." Heaven mumbled, crossing her legs under. "Do ya think I'm dumb, Daryl?"_

_He shook his head, patting her knee as he got to his feet. "Nah, ya ain't dumb, Heaven. Yer th' smartest girl I know."_

_She sighed, watching as he dug through his dresser for something. "Runnin' ain't gonna fix a problem, though."_

_Daryl pulled out a hoodie and tossed it to her. "One o' these days, runnin's gonna be the best option ya got."_

X

Heaven agreed with Dale. While the rest of the room was either silent or giving their pompous opinions, Heaven stood in the doorway, watching. The whole thing was a mess. They should have never dug up their humanity and brought the boy back for medical help only to kill him in the end. It was such a waste. It didn't matter if they killed the kid or dropped him off somewhere, the problem rested within the group. Heaven was sure of that.

Daryl entered through the front door and stood behind Heaven, placing a hand around her waist. She kept her eyes on the gathering of their people, listening to opinions she wanted to cram back down their throats. Part of her wanted to open her mouth and spit out her opinion like a snake, but she knew that if she did, the group would probably hate her even more. Then she decided that she was fine with that and opened her mouth anyway.

"I'm with Dale on this one." She piped up, turning heads.

Shrugging she planted herself further in the room next to Dale. "One o' us, not one o' us; does it matter? They weren't part o' our group" she gestured to the Greene family. "And somehow they get a say? If y'all were gonna kill him why didn't y'all just leave him ta die?"

Rick shook his head. "Couldn't leave him to-"

"What's worse," Heaven glared at the group. "Dyin' at th' hands o' them Walkers or dying at th' hands o' livin', breathin', thinkin' people? So do what'cha gotta do, but do it right."

X

Everything was being moved into the house, like pushing themselves into a corner, scared and frightened. Heaven kept her bag packed, ready to grab in a split second. Daryl never questioned her, knowing that she would take off in the second she spotted danger.

While everyone else was setting up in the house, Heaven placed her bag by the front door and sat on the porch. The dogs sat around her, growling on the off chance that Shane wandered by. She didn't bother to call them off, instead focusing on counting off the little pearls on her rosary.

After everything was set up, Carl silently sat next to her and rested his head on her shoulder. She patted his knee, humming a quiet little hymn. Heaven sat out on the porch for a while, refusing to move when Shane ran back saying that Randall had gotten free. She just counted her pearls once more, resting her head on the railing, wishing the dizziness away.

Daryl scooped Heaven up into his arms when he rushed back with Glenn. Once in the house, he informed the others of what they had discovered. The dogs had begun to growl viciously towards something in the distance, their hackles pointed against their necks. Blood rushed in Heaven's ears, muffling the sound of a single gunshot.

Conversation. Panic. Half-baked plans. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. Fight or flight. Kill or be killed. She numbly groped for Daryl's hands as he was talking with the group. He wanted to run, too, she knew it. But this group had become family, and family sticks together. What they did, he did. And that meant leaving her.

Clyde howled at the approaching horde.

"Heaven! Heaven, listen ta me!" Daryl grabbed her cheeks, turning her towards him, stopping her darting eyes. "If thin's git too bad, run. Ya hear? Ya git yer bag an' th' dogs an' run as far as ya can as fast as ya can."

Heaven shook her head. "No, no, no, I-I can't leave ya…"

He shook her. "Darlin', if there's a God up in them clouds like ya think there is, then he'll make us find each other. Ya just focus on keepin' this lil'n safe."

Daryl pressed a large hand against her swollen stomach, feeling a slight flutter of movement. Heaven choked out a sob as he kissed her. Swallowing back more tears she slipped her pink rosary around his neck before he left with the group. She watched them shoot Walker after Walker, more swarming the land.

Heaven bit back the urge to run away, hoping that she didn't have to. Hoping that there was a way she could stay. They would leave in cars; she would go by foot in the forest. They'd never find each other; she knew that in a second. When Hershel fired his gun for the first time, Heaven took to the woods. Lori screamed after her, causing the younger girl to stop at the edge of the forest.

Through the growls of the undead, the cracks of gunfire, and the sparking of fire, Daryl heard the scream. He glanced back, spotting Heaven by the woods. She took two stumbling steps back, then bolted, disappearing behind the darkness of night.

**A/N: FYI there will be a sequel that starts just at the beginning of season 4. **

**And guys, the reviews- I can't take the kindness! Y'all are so lovely!**

**More reviews please! Tell me how i'm doing!**

**But if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Fifteen:

August 2012

_"Follow me down through the trees_

_Follow me down to the river, man_

_I'll be down here on my knees"_

_"Follow Me Down" The Pretty Reckless_

A mile from the Greene farm was an old farmhouse that probably hadn't been lived in in years. It was daybreak when she found it, exhausted both mentally and physically. Upon entering the crumbling house, Heaven made Clyde bark, hoping to draw out any awaiting Walkers. It echoed back, telling her the house was empty.

Bolting the doors shut and pushing the dusty armchair in front of the front door and the couch against the backdoor. She poured the dogs a bowl of water, leaving them in the kitchen while she wandered upstairs, hunting for a clean bed. The master bedroom was the best she could find and after stripping the mildewed sheet off, she curled up against the too large mattress and cried herself to sleep.

X

When the group met up on the highway, Daryl rushed over, asking Lori if Heaven had come back when she saw them driving off. With the shake of her head, his heart dropped into his stomach. He ran his hands down his face.

"You… you told her to run. Why?" Carol asked timidly.

"Why does she always run?" Lori mumbled, brushing a tangle bit of hair out of her eyes.

He rubbed his eyes. "It's second nature ta her. She smells danger, she runs. I taught her that; ta keep her from gettin'…"

Daryl stopped himself and went back towards his bike. Nothing else was said on the matter, but a woman five months pregnant wouldn't last in the woods alone for very long. To them, she was dead.

X

It was late at night when Heaven awoke to the sound of smashing glass. Clyde opened his mouth to bark, alerting the intruder of his presence, but Heaven clamped his mouth shut. Grabbing her baseball bat, she carefully inched down the hall, taking the steps one by one. Bonnie ruined her element of surprise by rushing down the stairs and attacking the intruder. A girl's shriek and the clatter of pots told Heaven that it wasn't a Walker. With a sigh she entered the kitchen, leaning on the doorframe and crossing her arms.

"Friend 'r foe?" she called out into the darkness.

"Friend! Friend!" the girl whispered loudly, pushing the dogs away from her.

"Zoey Hern,"

The girl now sat in front of Heaven at the kitchen table, her hand hovering in the middle for her to shake. She had to have been in her mid-twenties and was oddly pretty. Her pin straight black hair was feathered over her eyes, which were as green as a spring leaf. Heaven wasn't intimidated by her snake bites or nose ring. The girl smiled so warmly that she was deemed trustful.

"Heaven," the older woman took her hand and shook it, then added after some thought, "Dixon. Heaven Dixon."

"Dixon? You from 'round here?" Zoey asked, propping her chin in her palms.

"Born 'n raised. Where ya from?"

"Louisiana, New Orleans." The dark haired girl said, leaning down to pat Clyde's head. "I was in college when the outbreak started. Crazy shit."

Heaven sighed and rested her head in her folded arms; her nap didn't seem to be enough. She was hungry and after so much running she was worried about the baby. Zoey stared at the woman in front of her, frowning. She was so small and frail looking, with long chocolate hair all knotted and tangled. When she was standing in the doorway it was hard not to notice the large bump under her dress. This woman was pregnant.

"Heaven?" Zoey whispered, leaning forward. "Can I tag along with ya? You look like you need a wing-woman."

Heaven laughed and nodded, wiping a stray tear. Zoey led her to bed and kept watch before falling asleep by the window with Clyde snoring by her side.

**A/N: Y'all didn't think i'd make Heaven wander around on her own, did you? Another OC, but necessary- i have plans for Zoey.**

**please review! but if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.**

**I'm callin' it a night, guys! **


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Sixteen:

August 2012

"I need a partner in crime

Terrible time, betraying my mind

We got to take on the night"

"Sleeze Sister" The Pretty Reckless

"Daryl, you can't go back out there." Rick tried to reason, grabbing the hunter's arm and pulling him back. "For all you know, she's…"

Daryl's shoulders sank, his head bowing in shame. He had been unable to sleep the night before, keeping watch instead. He shouldn't have left her. He should have told her to run. Now she was gone and alone and Jesus, did those undead pricks catch her? Daryl needed to know. If she had been bitten and turned, he wanted to be the one to put her to rest. If she was alive, he was going to bring her back.

"She ain't dead." Daryl snarled, ripping his arm away from Rick's grip. "I'ma go look fer her."

"Why? She chose to run. You told her to." Lori snapped, crossing her arms. "Why waste your time?"

Daryl stormed to the brunette and pointed a dirty finger at her. "If it were Rick you'd do the same damn thin'. Don' act like this is any different."

The group fell silent as he gave them all one last glare. Beth stepped towards him, her skinny little arms wrapped around her torso. She didn't meet eyes with him, but meekly told him about an old farmhouse about a mile up the road.

"I don't know if that's where she went," the young girl said. "But it's worth a try."

X

Around dawn the horde of Walkers ambled through the forest, grouping off, searching more live flesh. Clyde smelt it before Zoey noticed the limping figure outside the window. He perked his head up and gave a pathetic bark, alerting the women. Zoey started and stared out the window wide eyed.

"Shit," she cursed, scrambling to the bed. "Heaven, get up, we gotta go!"

Heaven was up in an instant, collecting her bag and bat. They made quick work of the kitchen, only finding spoilt goods and rusty cutlery. Zoey found an old butcher knife and lead the way out of the house. Three Walkers banged on the front door, moaning and gasping for air.

Zoey sunk the knife into the skull of the nearest Walker before grabbing Heaven's hand and tugging her through the woods. Clyde lingered behind, barking and leading the horde away from the girl. Heaven wrestled with Zoey, calling for Daryl's loyal dog. The last she saw of the mutt, he had darted through a line of pine trees.

Zoey took Heaven's hand once more and lead the woman through the trees.

X

Daryl spit on the ground and sniffed. He found a set of tracks leading to the old farmhouse, following them. The place was falling apart at the seams, the roof caved in on one side. There was a Walker with a butcher knife stuck in its skull outside the back door, which was wide open.

Upon entering the house, he found the bed slept in and footsteps in the dirt and dust. At first he wasn't sure if it even was Heaven, but the large paw marks beside the feet told him it was. By the looks of the Walker out back, he guessed that she had to leave quickly. There was another set of tracks that he didn't recognize.

She was with someone. Even if it was Andrea, he was thankful that she wasn't alone. A cheerful bark sounded behind him, Clyde trotting over to his master. Dripping wet, the huge dog shook himself off, before getting on his back legs and putting his muddy paws on Daryl's shoulders.

"Woah," the hunter chuckled, turning his face away from the monstrous tongue of his hunting dog. "What'cha doin' alone, huh?"

Then his heart dropped. If Clyde was alone then…

X

"Here, sit down." Zoey helped Heaven onto a boulder, slipping the backpack off the pregnant woman's shoulders. "All this runnin', ain't good for a Mama."

Heaven dropped her head into her hands, hot and tired and hungry. She still hadn't felt the baby move since she took off to the woods when the horde swarmed the Greene farm. Zoey sat the bag beside her and searched it for a bottle of water, handing it to the older woman. After a few swallows, it was put back.

"Why're ya helpin' me?" Heaven mumbled numbly. "Ya coulda left me back there but'cha didn't."

Zoey pursed her lips, thinking. "The dead might be walkin' the earth, but it doesn't mean I'm dead, too. Plus, you remind me of my Mama."

Heaven laughed lightly, rocking back and rubbing her stomach. She silently prayed for movement, for some kind of sign to tell her that her baby was alive.

"When my Mama was pregnant with me, she ran away from my abusive father with my two older sisters." Zoey smiled warmly, acting as if the memory didn't hurt her. "She did everything to protect us. Kinda like what you're doing."

"Your Mama didn't have ta run from th' undead." Heaven chuckled, patting Zoey's shoulder. "But I'm thankful ya stuck with me."

Bonnie perked up, her pointed ears listening to something in the distance. She howled towards the blue sky like a prayer. Zoey jumped to her feet at the sound of a rustling bush, wielding the baseball bat. Then someone stepped out of the leaves.

X

Daryl followed the path as quickly as he could, Clyde in front of him in nose in the dirt. He was getting further and further away from the rest of the group but at that point he wasn't returning without Heaven. He was so close, he could feel it. There were two sets of foot prints, one of the shapes distinctly a pair of cowboy boots, the other converse or some kind of tennis shoe. They were fresh, still soft in the soil.

A howl in the distance caught their attention, causing them to pick up their speed. That was Bonnie, Daryl was sure of it. Faster. Faster. Branches swung back and smacked him in the face and thorn bushes cut his arms. Hunting knife ready, he burst into a clearing.

X

Three Walker's ambled out, moaning for flesh and blood. Heaven got to her shaking feet. Dizzy and tired she found that she couldn't walk or run, only sink to her knees. Bonnie growled furiously at the decaying bodies.

Zoey gulped and tightened her grip on the bat, whacking the closest Walker with all her might. It tumbled over, the other Walker tripping over its companion. She bashed its head in, but was unaware of the third Walker making its way towards a frozen Heaven. Its gnarled fingers reached for her as she managed to scoot back, trying to get away from its snapping jaws.

Zoey turned just as the Walker leaned in on Heaven. She screamed her companion's name, fear gripping her lungs. The bush rustled again and someone else stepped out.

**A/N: Hmmm... who came to their rescue? Originally i was going to have Zoey and Heaven get completely separated from the group until the middle of season three. But after all the protest, i decided that you guys were right. How could i separate them?**

**Bad news guys, my charger has, once again, died and if i can't fix it... chapters might be a little late to update. I hope it doesn't come to that. fingers crossed guys.**

**Please review! Y'all are awesome!**

**If you have nothing nice to say, keep your mouth shut. :)**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Seventeen:

August 2012

_"So shout if you're a freak like me,_

_You were born to burn,_

_This is no disease you don't need a cure!"_

_"Freak Like Me" Halestorm_

Lori choked on her cruel words when Daryl shuffled back to their camp carrying Heaven. Hershel stood and met the hunter half-way, checking the pregnant woman who he announced had a fever. Zoey follow behind him and was met with a few harsh words and glares. Daryl spit out that the girl had looked after Heaven when the rest of the group had left her for dead.

The group sat silently around the campfire, still numb over the loss of the farm and a few members of their group. Daryl sat away from them, trying to cool down his temper before he said something he would probably regret. Heaven rested her head on his lap, twisting this way and that, lost in a nightmare.

Hershel dabbed her forehead with a wet cloth, then glanced back over at Rick. "First thing we gotta do tomorrow is find somewhere to stay for a little while. She's sick, anymore runnin' and she'll lose the baby."

Daryl looked horrified and it was enough to get a slight nod from Rick. "Yeah, we can do that."

Hershel smiled at Zoey. "Thank you for takin' care of her. We all appreciate it."

The old man went over to sit with his daughters, the youngest staring over at the woman in Daryl's lap. Zoey concluded that the pair were close, but didn't linger on it. As the night drew on, Heaven didn't get any better and Daryl refused to sleep, afraid that if he did, he'd lose her in the night.

X

The group found a form of safety in an old cemetery groundskeeper house. The tall gates around it served as some short of protection. After a quick sweep of the grounds- of which they found to be fairly small compared to most- they deemed the place safe. The little wooden house had three bedrooms and a large living room. T-dog and Glenn offered to sleep on the couches downstairs, leaving the bedrooms for the families.

Carol sat on the edge of Heaven's bed, tenderly wiping the sweat off her brow. The fever hadn't broken and Hershel began to fear that if it didn't break soon, she would miscarry. The older woman refused to leave Heaven's bedside, guilty for letting the pregnant woman to fend for herself. From time to time she would press her palm to the other woman's swollen belly, praying for movement.

Daryl paced the kitchen, waiting for Rick and Glenn to go on a run with him. They needed supplies and medicine. His worst fears were slowly coming true and the last thing he ever wanted to do was cut his baby from Heaven's belly before it ate her from the inside out. He chewed on his thumbnail, nerves gnawing at his stomach.

Zoey appeared at the doorway, slipping a knife into her belt. "I'm coming, too."

Daryl eyed her for a second, then shook his head. "Nah, ya gotta stay here. Look after Heaven."

Zoey frowned but nodded, understanding his words. "I'm worried though. She told me that she hadn't felt the baby in a while."

He closed his eyes tight, ignoring his panicked anxieties. "That baby's just fine. She'll be just fine."

The dark haired girl smiled and rested a hip on the doorframe. "I wish I had a husband just like you."

The hunter raised an eyebrow. "She said I was her husband, huh?"

"She said her name was Heaven Dixon." Zoey pondered, "I assumed…"

Rick and Glenn entered the room carrying empty bags and a rifle each. They mapped out their route, left T-Dog with a few orders, then disappeared into the world behind the iron gate.

X

Zoey felt a little defeated as she walked into the living room. The dogs were lying on the floor next to a little boy who was using the bigger of the two as a pillow. He was busy reading a comic book. She sat on the couch and blew a bit of black hair out of her eyes. Zoey felt useless and isolated from the group she was meant to call family.

With a sigh she glanced down at the dogs. "What're their names? Heaven never told me."

Carl looked up then pointed to the sleek black dog. "That's Bonnie an' this one's Clyde."

Zoey smiled at the duo's names, somehow fitting for the redneck and his fierce wife. She figured that they were hunting dogs, large and vicious, perfect for a shitty world like this. Curling her legs under her, she listened as Carl informed her of the reason behind their names.

"Miss Heaven told me that Daryl used to have a dog named Caesar and she rescued a mutt she named Cleopatra." Carl chirped, reaching over to pet Bonnie's shiny coat. "So she said that naming them as pairs has become a tradition."

"It's clever." Zoey agreed, glancing out the window to sigh a quiet prayer.

Lori appeared from around the door away, her arms crossed and a scowl on her lips. She didn't like the look of the girl Daryl had brought into the group. If the world was normal again, the girl sitting on the couch would've been someone Lori would've crossed the street for if she passed. To her, it didn't matter if Zoey had saved Heaven or not, her brain was still set in the place their world used to be.

"Carl, come here, please." Lori called, drawing her son's attention.

The boy got up and trotted over to his mother who put hand on his shoulder and lead him into the kitchen. Zoey watched them, not missing the untrusting glare the older woman sent her way. Used to looks like that, she only sighed, unwilling to explain herself to a woman that was stuck in her own ways.

"Don' worry 'bout her." Maggie said, throwing herself on the sofa next to Zoey. "She's always got a bug up her ass over some'n."

"I noticed." Zoey grumbled, leaning back and crossing her arms.

"What'cha do before all this?" Maggie asked, peering at the dark haired woman she guessed was probably her age.

Zoey chuckled. "I was training to be a mortician, oddly enough."

The girls laughed at the irony of it, the first they had giggled in a long while.

X

"Daryl…? Daryl…?" Heaven moaned, prying open her eyes and looking up at the fuzzy world around her. "Where's… Where's Daryl…?"

Carol shushed her and dabbed her forehead, relieved that Heaven had woken up. The older woman tried to tell her that Daryl was out getting medicine but for some reason Heaven believed that Carol was lying to her. She began to call her "Mama" and ask why she hated Daryl so much. Eventually she began crying, sobbing into her pillow before letting sleep take over. Carol was so distraught she rushed to get Hershel. Things weren't looking good.

X

The three men didn't return until nightfall. Daryl was the first to bolt through the front door, dropping the squirrels he had hunted on the way to the town, and climbing the stairs two at a time. They had found some fever medicine and two large containers of water plus some canned goods.

Entering the room, Daryl found Hershel leaning over Heaven, feeling her forehead. The older man glanced up sadly.

"Did you get anything?" he asked softly.

Daryl nodded and handed him the bag of medicine, letting the old vet decide what was best. Carol helped Heaven take the pill, holding the cup of water to her lips. Without much they could do, Carol and Hershel left Daryl.

Kicking off his muddy boots, he slid under the sheet and wrapped his arms around Heaven. With a whimper she curled up against him, sighing when he carefully rubbed her back and ran his fingers through her tangled hair. Her tiny hands gripped the front of his shirt, the pearl rosary cool against his skin.

"Yer gonna be just fine. Ain't gonna let anythin' happen ta ya." Daryl whispered softly into her hair. "Nothin'."

Suddenly Heaven began to laugh as lightly as anyone could. One of her hands pulled away from his shirt, pressing it to her swelling stomach. Daryl craned his neck, curious to see what was so funny. Heaven took his hand and placed his palm against the side of her stomach. There was a gentle little tap against his hand.

"It's alive." Heaven gasped, letting a few tears fall. "Th' baby ain't dead."

Daryl kissed her sweetly, pulling her closer. "Love ya, darlin'."

"Love ya, Dixon."

**A/N: So Daryl came to the rescue! Huzzah! No cliff hanger this time, but there's always next time!**

**My laptop charger is dead, so I have to use an old desktop computer that's slow and painful... grrr all my Norman Reedus pictures were saved on my dead laptop! Noooo~!**

**Please Review!**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Eighteen:

September 2012

_"But don't strain yourself for me  
Don't break yourself for me  
Don't lose your selfish ways for me"_

_"Window Blues" Lykke Li_

The group decided that until the baby was born they would stick around the cemetery. After that they needed to leave before the winter became too harsh. Lori was beginning to swell and by the time they left she would alright to travel for a little bit. The prospect of lugging around two babies weighed heavily on the group, knowing full well a baby's cry could be the dinner bell for hundreds of Walkers.

They made do with the tiny house, but it couldn't be permanent. Life inside the cemetery gate felt eerie and disrespectful. The only person that didn't seem to mind it was Zoey, much to Lori's distaste. Heaven however, took to the girl like they had known each other their whole lives. While Zoey tended to be careful and guard the pregnant woman when they were out in the yard, Daryl became antsy whenever she left the house.

One day he had gone out to hunt a dear or something they could smoke and save for a while. When he returned home with a doe over his shoulder, he nearly dropped it at the sight of Heaven teaching Carl how to throw knives. If Daryl didn't have a heart attack first, Lori would have beaten him to cardiac arrest. Unloading the deer on Glenn, Daryl picked up Heaven and carried her inside.

The second time he caught Heaven doing something she obviously wasn't meant to, he had to check his pulse for his blood pressure. The girl he'd known since she was sixteen and heavily pregnant with his child, was on a ladder picking chestnuts. Glenn stood at the bottom of the ladder, smiling up at Heaven as she dropped down the prickly green balls that held chestnuts. Whacking the young Asian man over the head, Daryl grabbed Heaven by her arm and led her back to where he deemed safe: the house.

X

Lighting a fire in the fireplace that T-Dog and Rick had cleaned out the day before, the group sat in the warm living room and quietly ate their stew. Heaven sat on the couch with Daryl leaning against it at her feet like a loyal dog, leaving the rest of the sofa for Zoey and Lori. Clyde stretched out near the fireplace with Carl curled up next to him, fast asleep.

Bonnie had wedged herself between Glenn and Maggie and was staring longingly at each spoonful of stew Glenn shoveled into his mouth. Eventually she swatted a large paw at him just as the utensil was making its way towards his mouth, spilling the stew down his shirt. Maggie chuckled at the look on her boyfriend's face as the large dog licked his shirt clean.

"Y'all should thank Clyde, he caught this deer." Heaven chirped, humming as she bit into a bit of meat.

Rick scratched the dog behind his ear, grinning when its back leg began to move like it had an itch. "What kinda dog is he?"

"Irish Wolfhound an' Great Dane mix." Heaven informed him, pointing her spoon at the dog. "Merle found him as a puppy in a bag off the side o' th' road an' gave him ta me."

"Who knew that mutt would be that big." Daryl grumbled, setting his bowl to the side.

"And this she-devil?" Glenn asked as he lifted his bowl away from Bonnie.

"Phu Quoc Ridgeback," Heaven answered, leaning over Daryl to put her bowl inside his.

"Her owner's used ta live 'cross the trailer park from us." The hunter explained, rubbing his chin. "Damn Meth Heads used ta beat their dogs an' Bonnie here was lucky enough ta run away. Found her in our trash one mornin' an' gave her ta Heaven."

"Somehow I knew you were a dog person." Carol chuckled, feeding Bonnie a bit of meat.

"I've never been a dog person." Lori mumbled as she stood. "I'm goin' ta bed."

After she disappeared up the stairs, Heaven flopped over Daryl, yawning. He carried her up the stairs like her personal slave and he didn't mind. She was already asleep when he shifted into bed next to her, and he didn't mind. Sleep was hard to find for him, but he didn't seem to care. He lay awake for a few hours, watching Heaven's eyelids flicker while she dreamt, wondering where her dreams took her.

Eventually he kissed her forehead and closed his eyes, at ease for once.

X

Well, he was at ease until the next afternoon when he found Heaven picking up sticks for the fire. He nearly had a stroke watching her bend over and over, plucking twigs from the damp grass. She spotted him looking and grinned brightly, unaware of how she was frustrating him. With a sigh, he started off towards her, red in the face and pissed off. This was the last straw, but the piece of wheat that broke the hunter's back was when she dropped the firewood and ran away from his clenched arms. She thought it was funny, but Daryl was ready to strap her into her bed until the baby was born.

**A/N: Just a little filler, kinda boring- sorry! I'll try harder next time to make it more interesting!**

**Please review since y'all are so nice and kind!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Nineteen:

October 2012

"And if I cried unto my mother  
No she wasn't there, she wasn't there for me"

"Under The Water" The Pretty Reckless

As the month drew on and the weather became chillier, Heaven's stomach grew, as did Lori's. No matter how much rest Hershel told her to get, Heaven was constantly in the kitchen preserving food for the winter. The men went out almost every day in search of warm clothing and other necessities to help them survive the long, harsh winter.

Tension was thick within the group. Lori and Rick still had some kinks in their relationship to work out and Lori seemed to take it out on everyone. Her temper grew as much as her belly and Rick avoided her whenever possible.

The group worked as a unit, eager to be ready for the winter when it hit hard. The pile of blankets grew as they were either scavenged or made. A blanket of squirrel skins Heaven had slaved over covered the bed she and Daryl shared. Coats and boots and extra socks were found and handed out; Maggie even found a tiny infant single piece snowsuit. Whatever Daryl caught was halved, one part eaten for supper and the other stored.

One winter afternoon while Zoey and Rick stood watch, he noticed her scribbling in a little notebook. It wasn't the first time he had seen her jot something down but it was the first time he asked her about it. Unfamiliar with the dark haired woman, he was afraid that she was taking notes on the group to give to another larger, more dangerous group.

"What'cha writin' down?" He asked, jerking his chin to the moleskin notebook.

Zoey glanced up and smiled, snapping the book shut. "I've been keepin' track of the days since the outbreak. I also write down observations on the Walkers."

Rick was intrigued. He knew better than to judge a book by its cover and after Heaven told the group how Zoey had looked after her, Rick trusted her instantly. Lori had made snide comments about the piercings the young woman had or how she spotted the edge of some tattoo on her back. But Zoey only seemed to smile and was always eager to help the group in any way possible.

"What kinda observations?"

Zoey pursed her lips in thought, crossing her arms. Across the yard Daryl was busy digging his knife into a Walker's skull outside the gate.

"Well, before all this, I was studying to be a mortician." She began with a sigh. "When a body dies and the heart stops bumping, the blood pools down- gravity right? This causes rigor mortis- stiffening of the muscles- which wears off after about thirty-six hours. Heaven told me that that doctor you all met said the longest time before the body "woke up" was seven hours. So rigor mortis never fully wore off.

Exposed to the elements and this heat… those bodies should have become so decayed they shouldn't be able to walk. And if they're not alive and their lungs don't work then how do they smell us? Or hear us?"

Zoey shook her head, biting her lip. Rick watched her, fascinated at the woman that knew so much and could possible use her brain to solve the riddle of the world. That is, if her brain didn't become some Walker's lunch.

Across the field, Heaven was teaching Carl to make a snare. She had a craving for rabbit jerky and if they were lucky, they could catch at least two during the night. The boy was a little uneasy about trapping something similar to the Easter Bunny for a snack, but any hunting skill that Heaven taught him was a skill he needed. She had tried to teach him how to throw knives but Lori and Daryl stopped that lesson short.

After that she decided to teach him basic survival skills. What berries to eat and what berries to avoid. What leaves to use as toilet paper. The like. She was busy showing him how to tie the snare when Carl was jerked to his feet. Lori stood over them, pulling Carl to his feet. Heaven sighed deeply and stood, knowing that this conversation was going to go downhill very quickly.

"If he wants to learn skills like this he'll ask his father." Lori snapped, pushing Carl behind her. "I am his mother, not you."

"Lori, I ain't tryin' ta replace ya." Heaven tried to reason. "I'm just showin' him how ta survive. I ain't hurtin' nobody."

"Just stay away from him." Lori bit out venomously. "He's not your son, so don't treat him like it."

Heaven watched the other woman drag Carl away, the poor boy glancing back sadly. Growling, she rubbed her tightening stomach and glanced around the yard. If Lori wasn't pregnant, Heaven would have grabbed a fistful of her hair and told her how it was. She'd just have to wait until both babies were born to teach the spiteful woman a lesson.

X

"So ya had two older sisters?" Heaven asked, taking a sip of her tea.

The pair sat out on the porch, wrapped in blankets with mugs of either coffee or tea, something they had rationed for only Saturday nights. Heaven had had trouble sleeping as her abdomen grew, unable to sleep on her stomach like she wanted; she opted to lie awake for hours. Zoey offered to sit up with her and talk until the pregnant woman was ready to sleep.

"Yeah, Jade and Mary." Zoey explained, curling her fingers around the warmth of the mug. "Jade was five years older than me and Mary was four years older than me. Jade moved to New York a few years back and got married. Mary joined the Army and left for Iraq last year."

"Yer Mama?" Heaven asked innocently, setting her tea down.

"Breast cancer, she died in two-thousand-and-six." Zoey shrugged, hiding her frown behind a sip of black coffee. "You got any family?"

"Mm," Heaven wrapped the blanket tighter around her body, staring up at the starry sky. "My twin sister was killed in a hit an' run when I was seven. My Mama went ta jail when I was eighteen fer killin' my Uncle."

Zoey looked at her, shocked and a little confused. "Why?"

Heaven shrugged. "My Uncle used ta sexually abuse me. Mama found him tryin' an' beat him ta death with a crystal lamp. Daryl looked after me ever since."

"Everyone makes him out to be some redneck asshole, but he's sweet with you." The dark haired girl pointed out.

Heaven wanted to tell her that their relationship was entirely perfect. That when they had first meet, he had tried his damnest to push her away. He was afraid to let anyone in, so show anyone his scars or introduce her to his asshole father or fuck-up older brother. They fought; she hit him with her tiny fists, crying. When he found her trying to hang herself in the woods, he let down his walls; just for her.

She didn't want to tell her how her own mother treated her like an object. How her mother made her run around the neighborhood twice each morning and night, to keep her fit. Forced her into gymnastics, demanded she play three instruments, and learn six different languages. Friends and socialization didn't matter to her Mama, only studies. Martha didn't want a daughter; she wanted a doll she could dress up and make do the things she never could. No, Heaven wasn't going to describe all the ways her own mother had pushed her to suicide.

"Nah, he don't." Heaven mumbled, playing with her fingers. "That kinda thin' is hard fer him."

Zoey bumped her shoulder against Heaven's. "Tell me how you two met."

**A/N: So the next chapter will tell the story of Heaven and Daryl's first meeting(s). I kinda mention it in the prologue but this'll go into more detail. **

**I wanted to post it tonight but i'm exhausted and i'm not feeling my best right now, so i don't have the energy to type it. But please tell me how i'm doing, i kinda need the motivation and y'all are so sweet!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty:

May 1991

_"Peer pressure, sex obsession,_

_Television, intervention,_

_Cotton mouth, OCD,_

_Ricky Lake Society,"_

_"Controversy" Natalia Kills_

_Ruth had dragged her all the way to the party then left her on her own. She was probably in the kitchen making out with some hick with teeth as black as her heels. Heaven let the music take her away, already tipsy from lying to her Mama. She was never allowed to listen to music- the tune of the Devil as her Mama called it. Now she knew what she was missing out on._

**_"Drink the Kool-Aid, don't drink the Kool-Aid, drink the Kool-Aid, don't drink the Kool-Aid."_**

_Heaven didn't know why her Mama banned her from so many things. Pop music made her heart flutter and her hips twist in such an easy way. She wasn't invisible to the boys on the dance floor. They worshiped her, and the way their eyes raked over her body- What was so bad about that?_

**_"Cheerleaders, wet panties, Drug dealers, porn addicts,  
Underage, under paid, fucking for a Mac Donald´s"_**

_All her life she craved attention, something her Mama barely gave her. But here she was, drinking in all the attention she could get. Beer tasted awful, but Ruth made screwdrivers and she had at least three of those. Her mind grew hazy and her speech blurry. The boys danced too close but she didn't seem to care. This was everything she was missing._

X

_Daryl didn't want to go to the stupid party but his dumbass friends convinced him into at least show up. There was a crowd of kids from his high school all cluttered in the barn, flickering lights, vibrating songs, more alcohol than a liquor store. This was Merle's thing, not his. Daryl didn't like crowds or human interaction, always feeling too awkward in those situations._

**_"Drink the Kool-Aid, don't drink the Kool-Aid, drink the Kool-Aid, don't drink the Kool-Aid."_**

_For a while he stood on the sidelines taking a few sips of his beer, people watching. He was the designated driver that night, something he normally was. None of the girls stood out to him, they were all dressed in short dresses and trying too hard to be someone they weren't. Besides, a few of them seemed too young for him to even approach. Bored of standing around and pretending to be a piece of furniture; Daryl decided to poke around the house. Anywhere was better than the haze of the barn._

**_"Teen brides, white lines, politicians, headlines,  
Prom queens, STDs, high school shootouts, dirty dreams,"_**

_He rifled through the cabinets, looking for something to eat. The counters were cluttered with liquor bottles and the blender held something that looked like some form of alcoholic beverage. Peering into the fridge he spotted a plate of birthday cake with plastic wrap over it. Pleased with his findings, Daryl reached in to steal it when he heard a scream._

**_"Drink the Kool-Aid, don't drink the Kool-Aid, drink the Kool-Aid, don't drink the Kool-Aid."_**

_He looked up, towards the ceiling where the sound came from. There was a thud then a plea for help. With a sigh he closed the fridge and made his way upstairs, wondering if this was even a good idea in the first place. He wasn't sure what he would find. Daryl walked in on a young girl being held down on a bed with four other guys leaning over her like lions to an antelope. Two of the guys were the friends he arrived with._

**_"Bloody noses, riot squad, prostitution, valium  
Hate crimes, debutants, victims, vixens, vicodins"._**

_One boy strattled the girl, his hand pressed over her mouth and his other hand holding up her dress. Two held the girl down and the other three were taking pictures on a Polaroid. Nasty snap shots of their crime littered the shivering body of the girl. Shaking his head, Daryl grabbed the guy sitting on her and threw him off. His fist bit into the guy's face until his friend tried to reason with him._

_"It was just a little fun!"_

**_"Bloody noses, riot squad, prostitution, valium  
Hate crimes, debutants, victims, vixens, vicodins"._**

_Fun his ass. That girl was a minor, he was sure of it. She wasn't asking for it nor was she enjoying it. They had no right to treat her like a plaything. After telling his friends they could find their own ride home, he wrapped the girl up in his jacket and carried her to his truck._

**_"Controversy, controversy, controversy, controversy."_**

X

_For a while after he dropped her off, Daryl sat in his truck outside his house. He was still trying to figure out why he had saved that girl like some kind of… Jesus, what the hell was he thinking? If Merle found out the bastard would call him a pussy for ruining some guy's fun. He was proud of himself for saving the girl, either way._

_Daryl glanced over to the passenger side where the girl had curled up on their ride to her house. Wrapped up in his jacket she seemed so small and fragile, like a kitten saved from the streets. Her voice was hoarse and meek as she told him where her home was. After that she stared out the window, silent tears racing down her cheeks._

_He didn't know her name. She didn't say thank you. Only stepped out of the cab and walked to her front door where her Mama appeared and proceeded to grab her daughter by her arm and drag her into the house. Now the seat was empty and cold. On the floor rested a necklace he leaned over and retrieved from the floor._

_It was a pretty pink pearl rosary. What party girl carried around a rosary while she was getting shit-faced drunk?_

_X_

_Beat within an inch of her life, Heaven kept her head down as she exited her school. Ruth hadn't spoken to her since she ditched the party. When she tried to explain what had happened, Ruth called her a lying bitch and left her in the hallway likes she had been bitch-slapped instead of betrayed by her best friend._

_Fifteen minutes after the final bell rang; she decided to get up from her seat and leave. Heaven had wanted to avoid all her so-called "friends" and walk home rather than take the bus. A few girls that were left behind shot glares her way and whispered loudly, calling her a whore. Forcing back her tears she quickly jogged out into the open air._

_"Ya forgot some'n."_

_She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to find an older boy leaning against the school gates. His right hand was in his pocket while his left index finger dangled a pink rosary for her to see. A cigarette hung loosely from his lips, his heavenly blue eyes stared out into the street before flicking to meet hers. She had never gotten a good look at him the night before, and not that she had, she wasn't disappointed. He had a rugged yet innocent look to him, ripped jeans and plaid shirt._

_She reached out and took the rosary, his hand slipping back into his pocket, the other hand plucking the white cylinder from his lips. He blew a circle with the smoke._

_"What's a lil' school girl without her rosary?" he chuckled, taking a long drag._

_Heaven scoffed. "What's a redneck without his whore?"_

_When he glanced down at her, he found her smirking like a tiny she-devil. Sticking her tongue out, she continued down the street, leaving him to stare._

_"Ain't ya a lil' sinner!" he called after her, tossing his cigarette into the gutter._

_Heaven spun on her heel and laughed loudly. "Ain't we all?"_

**A/N: Urgh two really shitty chapters in a row. Sorry guys! The lyrics throughout the first half are the same as the beginning set of lyrics. I love Natalia Kills, her songs are amazing!**

**If i'm not mistaken... two more months until Heaven has her baby. So... two more chapters? Maybe three? Phew. I got a gender and name picked out already!**

**Please review! And thank you to everyone who reviews and favorites and follows and views! **


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 21:

November 2012

_"When the hope of morning starts to fade in me  
I don't dare let darkness have its way with me  
And the hope of morning makes me worth the fight  
I will not be giving in tonight"_

_"Hope Of Morning" Icon For Hire_

On the nights that Daryl had watch and Maggie slept in the arms of Glenn, Beth would crawl into bed beside Heaven. It was obvious that the poor girl was still grieving and stunned by the awful world they lived in. Heaven would hold her and stroke her hair, as light as the sun. In the mornings, she put an extra blanket over the girl and went to start breakfast and let the dogs out.

Heaven made sure to put an extra quilt over the sleeping couple and two over poor T-Dog who was forced to sleep on an old armchair. As the nights grew colder, Carol took Daryl's spot in bed and as Heaven called it; her bed became a teenage slumber party. The two women and Beth would chatter until the darkness of night and curled up for warmth.

Their little world in that cemetery was slow and calm. Still, with everyone in close quarters, tempers sometimes rose and exploded out. Like a bottle of soda constantly being shaken until it pops. The first person to break was Daryl.

It was a pitiful argument over nothing at first. Daryl was tired of Heaven waking up so early to fix breakfast for everyone. He didn't like her unsupervised and what if a Walker had gotten through the gate unnoticed? Heaven tired to keep her cool, but he was sawing away at her last nerve.

"I ain't no doll!" she cried, slamming the pan down on the old stove. "Stop treatin' me like I can't take care o' myself!"

"What? Ya wan' me ta act like I don' care?" Daryl shouted, his harsh tone making those in the living room stir. "Wan' me ta leave ya alone and let ya hurt yerself? It ain't just ya no more! It's ya an' that lil'n now!"

"Don't ya think I know that?" Heaven screamed, unaware of the groggy faces peeking into the kitchen.

"Then why are ya waltzin' around throwin' knives and climbin' trees?" he growled, his face bit into a snarl. "Ain't no wonder ya lost th' first one!"

Daryl regretted the words the second they left his lips. As Heaven closed her eyes, hoping that she was only hearing things, he knew there was no turning back. No "Darlin', I'm sorry" would ever fix what he had just said to her. It was the heat of the moment, fury words like hot ambers spitting out of a roaring fire.

Heaven pushed past him, shouldering through the tiny cluster of people in the doorway, and rushed up the stairs. When their bedroom door slammed shut, Daryl knocked everything off the counter in a fit of anger before storming out of the house. Rick came down; demanding to know what was going on but was met with stunned looks from those that had watched it all happen.

X

"Oh honey, I'm sure he didn't mean it." Carol tried to reason, rubbing Heaven's back.

The pregnant woman was sobbing into her pillow, blankets covering her shivering body. Carol had sat with her for hours, trying to calm her down and coax her downstairs to try and eat something. Nothing had worked.

A quiet little shift at the door drew her attention away from the sobbing woman beside her. Daryl stood in the doorway awkwardly shifting from one foot to the other. His expression mimicked that of a kicked puppy and he didn't dare peek up from the dusty floorboards. Carol sighed and stood, walking over to him, closing the door behind her.

"It's gonna talk a lot to make it up to her." Carol whispered, crossing her arms and looking up at the hunter.

"Don' guilt me even more, woman." Daryl grumbled. "I already know she deserves better than me."

"What she deserves is an apology." Carol corrected, noticing a delicate looking knife in one of his hands. "What're you gonna do now? Kill her to fix the problem?"

Horrified at her accusation, Daryl stared at her wide-eyed. "Hell, no! It's an… it's a… a gift. Thought she'd like a pretty huntin' knife."

Carol scoffed and shook her head. "She's your woman." She jerked her jaw towards the door. "Now go make up. And be gentle, she doesn't need the stress."

Daryl found Heaven curled up in their bed. She had stopped crying but was still awake, staring blindly at the wall in front of her. When the door opened and closed, she didn't bother to look up or ask who was there. When Daryl sat down, she didn't look at him or demand to know why he was even showing his face around her after what he had said.

It was a while before Daryl said anything. He wasn't sure where to start or how to say that what he had said was stupid and selfish. It wasn't her fault she had lost the baby and almost died. Accidents happen and hell, he had helped make that fetus that nearly took her away from him for good.

Looking at the knife, he felt like an idiot. What woman wanted a pearl handled knife for an apology present? She probably wanted a ring or that rabbit jerky he kept promising for her. With a heavy sigh, he set the knife on the nightstand.

"I didn' mean what I said ta ya." He started, clasping his hands together tightly. "It ain't yer fault ya lost th' baby. Ain't nobody's fault. It was wrong o' me ta put th' blame on ya like that. Jus' worried, is all. This ain't a world for a no lil'n."

"We'll survive." Heaven mumbled. "We were survivor's way 'fore the world went ta shit."

Daryl chuckled and glanced back at her. She smiled and pointed to the knife on the nightstand. "That for me?"

He nodded, watching as she plucked it from its sheath and admired it.

"Ya know how to please a lady." She grinned.

**A/N: where did all my lovely reviewer's go? did i scare y'all off somehow? come back...!**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-two:

December 2012

_"But you only need the light when it's burning low  
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow  
Only know you love her when you let her go"_

_"Let Her Go" Passenger_

The day had started off normally. The snow had begun to settle on whatever it touched, leaving a white blanket on the cruel world in which they lived. Earlier in the day Daryl, Glenn, Maggie, and Rick had gone on a run into town. They were low on canned goods and some other various supplies- and Rick wanted to get Carl something for Christmas. While they were out Zoey and Beth had helped Carl make a pathetic looking snowman that Clyde accidentally plowed into and ruined.

The group had begun to wonder if that little cemetery house could be home for a while. Sure it was drafty and cramped, but the fences around it seemed sturdy and town was close by. As Heaven's due date drew closer and Lori grew with each passing day, they decided that it would be best to nestle down into that eerie cemetery until both babies were born.

While Daryl was out, Heaven had sat in front of the fire carefully knitting two pairs of baby booties. The only yarn she had been able to find was red, which she deemed could be a universal color if you squinted hard enough. When the girls and Carl came back in, Carol wrapped them in blankets and gave them some hot water to warm them.

Heaven stood, having to stretch out of her sitting position, and found Lori in the doorway. She had been napping all afternoon but had finally waddled down the stairs. Everything started with one snide comment from Lori. It was about the dogs and how they were more trouble than their worth. Heaven tried to ignore it and say that if it wasn't for the dogs, they wouldn't have any meat. Then it escalated.

Lori had snapped something back and Heaven retaliated. Carol and Zoey had tried to stop their shouts, but both women screamed at each other. Lori once again brought up the topic of Carl and her fear of Heaven replacing her. Heaven pointed out Lori's obvious affair with Shane which was countered by Daryl being called "Redneck trash".

Heaven reached out, ready to grab a handful of Lori's hair and rip it from her scalp, but she stopped. The room went silent, Heaven pressing a hand to her stomach, a clear liquid rushing down her legs. She looked up wide eyed at Lori who seemed just as shocked.

X

When the group walked through the gate they were met by T-Dog who had rushed out to great them. The second the news was broken Daryl and Maggie rushed towards the house. Growls and howls could be heard from the living room where Carl sat awkwardly with the dogs. Maggie was allowed to slip into the bedroom but Daryl was forced to pace the hallway. Rick joined him and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.

There were so many things that could go wrong and the constant wails from within the bedroom were not helping his nerves. Heaven counted off every disciple, then every Saint, then a string of curses when the baby crowned.

Never in his life did Daryl think that he would ever have a child. It was something he never thought of, not after the shitty home life that he was raised in. He wasn't fit to be a father, he was downright terrified. They had never discussed children; it was something that had never come up until Heaven started dropping hints that she was pregnant for a second time. After the first time Daryl believed that it was a sign that children were just not in their future.

Now he paced the hallway, gnawing on his thumb as he listened to her screams and waited for the news. Then everything became silent. Still. Ominous. He stopped dead in his tracks, horrified at the thought that Heaven hadn't made it. Then a baby cried and the door was opened. Beth stepped out with a bundle in her arms.

Daryl carefully approached her and took the baby from her arms. She was crying; tears of happiness she told him. The hunter nervously held the child and shushed it. A boy he was told right after the news of Heaven still living and breathing had reached him. His son was a big baby, with misty blue eyes and a head full of chestnut colored fuzz.

"What're ya gonna name him?" Beth asked, gazing up at him with her large blue eyes.

Rick patted Daryl on his back and peered over his shoulder at the new addition.

"Beau," the hunter said softly, his voice cracking a little. "Beau Dixon."

**A/N: OMG did everyone see the new episode of the walking dead?! Daryl baby!**

**Please Review!**

**Love y'all!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-three:

February 2013

_"We have to live before we die  
We were born to live before we die  
Don't you wanna live before you die?"_

_"Adrenalize Me" In This Moment_

As the nights drew on with little Beau, sleep became less and less. Daryl had moved back into the bedroom to help with the baby, and give Heaven a break every now and then. Beth was always willing to look after Beau so Heaven could have some peace, and Zoey was eager to act as Nanny when it was necessary.

One chilly morning in February, Heaven woke early. Most nights she had trouble sleeping, terrified that Walkers would invade the house and steal her child from her. On that morning she sat on the edge of the bed and wiped the sleep from her face. The milky hew of moonlight spilt in from the window. Behind her Daryl lay on his back with Beau sleeping fitfully on his chest, a fat fist in his mouth.

The soft movement and dip in the bed roused Daryl from his light sleep. He looked over and found Heaven sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out the window. In the silver light of the moon she looked like a ghost, her long hair touching the rough sheets of the bed. If he pushed her hair to the side, he could clearly make out the Roman numerals on the back of her neck and the tips of the trail of watercolors down her back in the dim light.

Lately he had noticed that she would wake up at odd hours and sit there. After her first failed pregnancy she had done this. It worried him greatly that she could once again start slipping into a deep depression. Reaching out he grabbed her hand, causing her to look back.

"I didn't mean ta wake ya." She whispered, leaning over and brushing a tuft of hair away from her son's sleeping face.

"You'd tell me if ya were getting' all… sad an' stuff, right?" he asked, searching her eyes in the moonlight. He wasn't good with emotions and he sure as hell didn't know what to do with an upset woman. But this was Heaven and he would do anything to make her happy.

Heaven nodded and crawled back into bed, resting her head on his shoulder and carefully holding Beau's tiny fist.

X

It was in the middle of the month, during a horrid snow storm, that the worst thing that could have possibly happen, happened. It was late in the afternoon, while everyone was in the living room by the fire eating lunch. Bonnie perked up at something and began to look at the back door. They thought nothing of it until she got up and sat by the door, growling. Then there was an awful whine of metal and a clatter that sounded like the gates of hell opening.

Rick and Daryl shot to the back door and threw it open. A portion of the gate had fallen; letting around two dozen Walker's wander through. Bonnie shot after them before Daryl could call her back. He was forced to leave her and help the group collect their belongings for a quick getaway. Heaven kept asking for Bonnie, but Daryl had Zoey lead her out of the front gate.

The group rushed out, horrified and saddened by their sudden departure. Daryl went back for Bonnie but it was too late. Heaven's prized pet and most loyal friend was gone. She gave them a few spare minutes to run into the woods and far away from the horde. When he told Heaven, she broke down into sobs, her heart breaking in two.

Loaded into the cars, the group drove on to find a safe place for the night and out of the storm. Carl wept on his mother's lap, also losing a friend. The car ride was quiet and clouded with stress. Soon the snow became too much and they had to stop at an old bed and breakfast on the side of the road. The men went ahead and cleared it out before letting the other's huddle inside.

Doors to the outside were locked, rooms were claimed, the old Franklin furnaces were lit with what wood there was, and food was scavenged. Later that night, while the others ate their small dinners, Daryl came down the stairs with Beau. Heaven only wanted sleep and with nothing else he could do, the hunter took the baby and returned to the others.

"How is she?" Maggie asked gently.

Daryl shook his head, sitting in an old armchair. "She's a lil' torn up."

"Poor thing." Carol sighed, "That was a good dog."

Daryl gave a grunt, shifting so Beau was nestled on his lap. The wide eyed baby loved to look around, his little head bobbing this way and that. Digging in his pocket, Daryl retrieved a pair of red booties and carefully tugged them on his son's feet.

"Are we gonna stay here for the rest of winter?" Lori asked, rubbing her swelling stomach.

Rick rubbed the back of his head. "We'll stay as long as we can and run when we have to."

"That prison still looks like an option." Daryl pointed out.

"When spring comes," Hershel chimed in. "When the snow isn't so bad and it's not too hot yet."

"I agree with that." Glenn raised his hand.

"Prison in the spring, then." Rick agreed, sighing. "But until then- survive."

**A/N: I didn't want to, but i had to! RIP Bonnie!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-four:

March 2013

_"I wanna see your bodies grinding just for me__  
I'm just what you need, the perfect disease  
Don't you wanna turn the beauty into the beast?"_

_"Beast Within" In This Moment_

Knife strapped to her hip, Heaven followed closely behind Daryl. The pair had gone out on a run, both in need of space from the group. The snow had since melted but it was still chilly and damp, the weather not ready for them to make the move to the prison. Beth and Zoey were gleefully looking after baby Beau while his parents were out.

As time drew on, however, the pair became distant to one another. Daryl had always had a habit of closing the world out, playing it safe behind his inner walls, not allowing anyone through. Heaven was always the one to climb the wall and sit on the edge, coaxing him back out into the world. But now she sat on the other side, too mentally weak to climb the ever growing wall.

For the first half-an-hour neither said a word. Daryl would grunt from time to time or spit out into the ditches along the road. Heaven remained silent and kicked a rock or two with her boots. She wondered if she had angered him somehow. Her thoughts raced back to when she could have said something to upset him, but remembered nothing. With a heavy sigh she followed him through the woods as quietly as a church mouse.

Then suddenly Daryl stopped, the action would have worried Heaven but then he spun around and roughly kissed her. Pinned against a tree, she realized that no words needed to be said between them. Only rushed touches and muffled moans. There was no space for mumbled sweet nothings and no room to take it slow and soft. For all they knew, they could be dead the next day, but for now they had their moment. Quick and silent.

X

Heaven and Daryl stumbled through the woods after their "fun", carefully picking their way back towards the old bed and breakfast. The woods were meant to be peaceful, a safe haven for the pair that found comfort among the thrush and low hanging branches. It was meant to be peaceful, listen, and still. But that afternoon, it wasn't.

When Heaven stumbled out onto the road from the tree line, she was grabbed by two large, slimy looking men. Daryl fought back but was wrestled to his knees, the glistening barrel of a pistol pressed against his temple. Heaven cried out and struggled with the men that tore and pulled at her clothes. One of them said something about not seeing a woman for so long, another sneered that he wanted the hunter to watch. Sick satisfaction. A cruel world crumbling into a crueler one.

Heaven was pushed to the floor, her coat thrown aside, shirt pulled up. From where he knelt, Daryl could see only her legs as they kicked out, struggling against the body on top of her. His hands balled into tight fists, jaw tight, blue eyes narrowed at the men attempting to rape his woman. Twenty years earlier he had stopped this, but now he was powerless to help her.

"Out o' all the women ya coulda found," Daryl grumbled, craning his neck to look at the man holding a gun to his head. "Ya found th' wrong one."

"Shut yer-"

The body on top of Heaven suddenly went limp and fell to his side. The other man cursed and fumbled for his gun but she was quicker. She slid her knife up through his throat in one fluent movement. The man by Daryl cried out and pointed his pistol at Heaven; he failed to notice Daryl putting one of his arrows through the man's throat.

Heaven stood and wiped her knife on her pants. Daryl collected her coat and tossed it to her.

"I need a shower." Heaven shivered, shrugging on her coat and falling into step with the hunter.

"People in hell want slurpies." Daryl grunted, slinging his arm over her shoulders.

X

"Did you have a boyfriend?" Beth asked, looking up from dangling a knitted ball above Beau.

Zoey, busy folding carefully washed cloth for diapers, frowned and set the fabric square down on her lap. "I did. He was older, haven't seen him since he went home for summer break."

"Oh," Beth went back to playing with the ever growing Dixon boy.

Finishing with the diapers, Zoey picked up the stack and stood to put them with the other baby things. She stopped short when Heaven and Daryl stumbled back through the door, both with speckles of blood on their clothes. They parted ways the moment the door clicked shut.

"Rough journey?" She called out with a slight smile.

Beth looked up from the baby and stared at Heaven as she lent on the doorframe, brushing a lock of tangled hair out of her face. The woman laughed gently and crossed her arms over her chest. Two of her top's buttons were missing and it was closed improperly. Zoey smirked knowingly.

"More than ya know." Heaven said, disappearing towards the stairs.

**A/N: Sorry for the late update! I've been a bit under the weather lately, but i hope this chapter is alright... it took me a while to write. **

**Please review! :)**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-four:

April 2013

_"Baby all I want is an answer  
When I walk past ya  
Why you gonna act like I'm Casper  
Every boy wanna know, irresistible, kissable  
But you think I'm the invisible girl"_

_"Zombie" Natalia Kills_

By the time the group had cleared the prison yard of Walkers and settled down for the night, Heaven was ready to scream in frustration. Her body ached and Beau was as tiresome as ever. Daryl had little choice, but let Heaven had to help with Beau strapped to her chest when they moved to clear out the yard. It was terrifying but the baby seemed to laugh at all the spins and twists that his mother did while he was nestled against her chest.

While the group sat around the fire, exhausted from their days work, Heaven danced around the group. Beau was gurgling and babbling away, not ready to sleep like his mother wanted to. Zoey had offered to look after him, but Heaven declined, letting the younger girl to rest. It was only when Daryl came over from his shift at watch that their son finally settled down. He seemed to like sleeping with his father rather than his mother, which suited her just fine.

Beau gnawed on his fist while his father carefully rubbed his back, shushing the constant chatter his son would mutter to himself. Heaven sat next to him and brushed a bit of hair away from Beau's eyes.

"I hope Lori has a girl." Beth spoke up, blushing wildly when the rest of the group turned to stare at her.

The teenager sheepishly glanced around, shrugging her shoulders. "Kinda like Adam and Eve, the first babies born since… all this…"

Lori chuckled, rubbing her swelling stomach. "I always wanted a girl. Shame I can't dress her up."

"Who says ya can't?" Maggie smiled, resting a hand on the older woman's shoulder.

Heaven wanted to tell them that there wasn't much of a point in dressing a girl up when she should be wearing something more suited for the environment in which they lived. Lately Lori had looked so tired and sad, rushing around with a belly like she had. Heaven had counted herself lucky, but almost lost the baby running around herself. And, while she sometimes wanted to put Lori's face through the car window, she couldn't help but pity the woman. It was obvious that she was terrified, but then again, who wasn't?

X

The prison block wasn't much, but Heaven found herself thankful for a "safe place" and the hope of a future. That night, as she lay awake on the mattress she shared with Daryl, Heaven felt numb. It was almost as though her entire body was cold and unfeeling. Sitting up, she shivered and glanced down at the man sleeping beside her. Beau was lying on his chest, snoring like his father. Clyde peeked up at her but remained by his master's side.

With a sigh, she pulled off her rosary and began to count the pearls, muttering prayers to herself in the darkness. Ghost-like tears whispered down her cheeks. Since Beau was born she found herself constantly terrified of what the future would hold for them. She knew Lori felt the same, probably the only thing the women could agree on.

Her fingers trembled between each pearl before she had to stop. Covering her mouth she let out a small sob. Strong arms wrapped around her tiny frame. Daryl coaxed her back onto the mattress and nestled the baby between them while he wrapped her in his arms. Heaven cried herself to sleep, the rosary held tightly in her fists. Daryl wiped away her drying tears with the pad of his thumb, his heart breaking just a little by her actions.

X

"Y'know ya shouldn't be too cruel ta her." Heaven's soft tone surprised Rick who was blankly staring out of one of the grimy windows. She shifted Beau in her arms, wincing when the baby grabbed a length of hair in his fat fist.

"Yer speaking kindly 'bout a woman you've never seen eye-to-eye with." Rick replied, weakly trying to lighten up their conversation. His shoulder sank. "Can ya blame me?"

Heaven sighed, "She was lonely."

Rick snorted, running his hands through his greasy hair. "What if… what if ya thought Daryl was dead? Huh? Would ya run to Merle because yer lonely?"

Heaven didn't reply, but stood her ground, staring at Rick so intensely his heart seemed to shatter a little. He was tired, they all were. He was terrified over the safety of his wife, son, and his unborn child. He didn't mean what he was said, it was the stress and they both knew it.

With a long, heavy sigh, Heaven broke first. "I wouldn't be lonely if Daryl died 'cause I'd join him in a heartbeat."

X

After Hershel's brush with death, Daryl began to sense a change in Heaven. She hadn't been sleeping, instead getting up at odd hours of the night to pace around the cellblock. In the morning, when the baby cried to be fed, Heaven's spot was bare and cold. Daryl would find her sleeping on the hard floor somewhere down below or in the corners of the walk where the other cells were.

She seemed tired and drained, exhausted even after the sleep that she appeared to have had. While the group was busy bustling around and making the prison their home, Heaven would leave Beau in Zoey's care while she sat outside and stared off into the distance. Zoey noticed her strange behavior and pointed it out to Daryl.

For a few minutes he watched Heaven sit on the metal bleachers, legs curled against her chest, chin resting on her knees. She seemed so small and fragile. He walked forward, ready to confront her on her strange actions when Rick asked for his help. With one sad look towards Heaven, he followed their leader.

Daryl tried to push the thought of her out of his mind while he helped with the gate. He was terrified that she might be thinking of "opting out" and leaving him alone with their son. For while he thought of what he could do to cheer her up. At night she became still against his kisses and when it came to the baby, she would do his motherly needs before handing him off to Zoey. She was scaring the hell out of him.

What frightened him more was when the alarm went off. He rushed back towards the cellblock; the sound of Beau screaming made his heart beat faster. Blood rushed in his ears. Hershel stood with Beth in a small enclosed area, Beau struggling in her arms. He spun around, searching for Heaven but she was no where to be found.

"Where's Heaven?" he called to Beth.

The girl, flustered and red in the face with fear, shrugged and shook her head.

After the alarm was turned off and the threat eliminated, he rushed back out into the court yard, praying that Heaven had come out of hiding. Zoey was bouncing Beau on her hip while trying to calm Beth. Darting back over to the bleachers, he found only the pearl rosary.

Heaven was gone.

**A/N: OMG I'M SORRY FOR THE LATE LATE LATE UPDATE! THERE WAS A BOUT OF WRITERS BLOCK I HAD TO DEAL WITH...**

**did you all see last night episode?! I was screaming at my TV! (i'm a bethxdaryl shipper...) poor daryl! beth come backkkkkkk!**

**Please review! I know it's been a while...**

**Oh! to the reviewer that said they were upset over Bonnie's death... i'm sorry it upset you enough to stop reading. however, it will not stop me from continuing with this FF. to the guest reviewer Mackie (is that right?) gimme a virtual high five honey cause you are awesome! that reply made my day ten times better after the one i got before it! thank you!**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-five:

April 2013

_"As I move my feet towards your body_

_I can hear this beat it fills my head up_

_And gets louder and louder_

_It fills my head up and gets louder and louder"_

_"Drumming Song" Florence and the Machine_

"What about your son!" Rick roared, the veins in his neck tensing with anger.

"He ain't nothin' without his mama! Keep him!" Daryl screamed back, regretting his words but knowing that they were true. It had been days since Heaven went missing. He hated to think it, but she was probably dead or roaming the earth as the dead. Beau was in the care of Zoey who took the duty to heart in honor of Heaven.

Merle was all Daryl had left of his family. Daryl was nothing without Heaven by his side.

"Daryl don't do this…" Maggie pleaded, knowing that Heaven wouldn't want him to leave his son for Merle. "Heaven wouldn't-"

"Heaven's dead!" Daryl snarled in despair, stepping back towards the woods with his brother. "Keep th' kid. He's probably better off without his white trash daddy, anyways."

X

_Three days prior_

_ Gone. Gone. Gone. No, no he couldn't accept that. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't believe that Heaven was gone. They hadn't found a body. A limb. Anything that said she was gone forever. Sitting in the silent hallway, stabbing Carol's knife into the concrete floor, he beat himself up for not being there. For not telling Rick to wait a second, that Heaven was more important than that damn fence. But he hadn't and now she was gone._

_ Finding Carol had brought a seed of hope into his heart. As small as it was but it was there. After a cup of water she began to sob, covering her face with her hands. T-Dog was gone, giving his life for the older woman, Carol said. Daryl carefully asked if Heaven had been with them, to which Carol replied that she had. After hiding her in the closet, Heaven ran off, luring the horde away from her weak friend. But that was the last she had seen of her. _

_ Daryl kept it together as best as he could. She wasn't dead. She couldn't be. The night before Maggie and Glenn were taken by his asshole brother, Daryl danced around the cafeteria. Beau lay sleepily in his arms, the spitting image of himself in the form of a tiny blessing. With Heaven gone, Beau was fed formula that he hated with a passion. They found some oatmeal that they coat for him, but he threw a fit and made a mess. Now, worn out and tired, he struggled to keep his eyes open in the arms of his father._

_ To be honest, Daryl didn't know what he was doing. That was Heaven's job, and hell, she didn't even know what she was doing, but she did it better than he did. They were meant to figure it out together. Take turns. Struggle together. Now it was just him._

_ He needed Heaven more than anything. He didn't need her so she could feed their son and change him, no. He needed her because the only reason he was still hanging on to that one single thread of sanity was because she was there by his side. He needed her because no matter how much she prayed, no matter how many times she counted those pearls, she always had hope. Hope that he would believe in because she felt so strongly about it. She was his safety raft and now she was gone._

_Daryl pressed his back against a cold wall and slid down it, a strangled sob leaving his throat. He'd never say it out loud or to her, but he was lost without her. He couldn't raise their son on his own. _

_He _needed _her._

_But she wasn't there._

X

"What's this 'bout a kid?" Merle asked, spitting onto the wet leaves.

Daryl fiddled with a twig he had ripped from a nearby tree as they were passing it. He tore away at the leaves angrily. He was such an idiot. Giving up his own son for his lowlife older brother? Heaven would bitch slap him into another lifetime if she found out. His heart sank at the thought.

"Heaven had a baby." Daryl glanced up, meeting his brother's stare. "Beau; he's a few months old now."

"It kill her?" at least the older Dixon seemed somewhat sympathetic about it. Even if his words cut deep, as dull as they were.

Daryl shook his head, forcing back whatever emotions were bubbling inside him. "Nah, she's too strong fer that. She went missin' few days ago."

Merle shook his head and took a few steps forward, spitting into a ditch. "What's with that damned woman? Like a fuckin' dog! Whiff of trouble and- poof!- she's gone!" he waged a finger at his brother. "And like a dog, baby brotha, ya gotta wait 'till the bitch is ready ta come back. 'S all it is."

Closing his eyes to calm the increasing rage he felt towards Merle, Daryl clenched his hands into tight fists. Heaven wasn't a dog. He'd taught her to run from trouble. That was his fault. Heaven wasn't a bitch and she never came back when she was ready. He would always have to go find her. That's how it was. She would sit and wait and then-

Grabbing his crossbow, Daryl turned and darted off in the direction of the prison. Merle called after him, reminding him that the rest of the group hated him. The youngest Dixon ignored him, there was only one thing on his mind.

Heaven.

X

Despite everything that he said, it was Merle that found Heaven. While searching the cellblocks for coke, he came across a bundle in one of the cells. At first he thought nothing of it, thinking that it was just a Walker locked inside a cell. But the body was that of a woman- it was a male prison, after all- which made her completely out of place.

The next thing he noticed was that she wasn't wearing any shoes, at first that wasn't a surprise as the dead really didn't need shoes. Then he spotted a small tattoo on her ankle. A demon that matched the same one tattooed onto his brother's forearm.

Heaven.

Without a second thought he opened the cell and carefully flipped over the limp body. She was still breathing, wheezing even, and from what he could tell, there weren't any bite marks. Scooping her up in his arms he rushed back to the main cellblock.

"Brotha!" he called out in his wake. "Someone! Help!"

Maggie was the closest and with one look at Heaven, she dashed off to find her father. Carl saw that Merle was holding and ran off to get Daryl from outside. Heaven was gently placed in a cot, Hershel bent over her. Beth brought in water that she helped her to drink. She had a fever, dehydration, and she was starving.

Daryl pushed into the room and stopped dead at the sight of Heaven on the cot. She was so pale she looked dead, her once bright eyes sunken in, her fingertips raw and crusted in dry blood. Hershel assured him that Heaven was still alive and with some food, water, and rest, would be as good as new. But his words weren't enough to heal him. Daryl had failed Heaven. He had left her for dead while he went off and played rescuer. He left their son. Jesus, he was an idiot.

The group watched as Daryl stayed by her side throughout the afternoon and part of the night. He looked just as broken as the woman lying before him. It was an odd sight for them to behold, Daryl so deeply upset over something. Then again, this was the woman that they presumed he loved. The woman that mothered his son.

He held her hand, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on the top of her hand. From time to time her eyes would flutter open and she would smile before falling back to sleep. Daryl didn't understand what she was smiling at, but whatever it was, it made him smile back. As weak as it was.

"Hey, hey, lookie what Uncle Merle taught Beaudean Dixon." Merle leant on the cell doorframe, Beau sitting on his uncle's hip, holding out a stuffed teddy bear that was missing an eye and an arm.

Daryl rubbed his eyes, not eager to her what kind of word or action his brother had taught his son. "His name's Beau, Merle."

Merle ignored him and bounced the boy a little, prompting him to do what he had taught him. At first, the young Dixon boy blushed and buried his face in his uncle's neck.

"Go on. Ya did it 'fore."

"Da!" Beau shrieked, startling his father who turned to stare wide-eyed at his son and brother. "Da, da, da, da, da!

Merle laughed causing his nephew to giggle, while Daryl sat in utter shock.

"Yer an igit fer leavin' this lil' shit behind fer me, baby brotha!" Merle chuckled, turning and walking away. "A real fuckin' igit."

**A/N: i actually enjoyed writing this! haha so Heaven's not dead... but we're not out of the woods yet! i'm thinkin' of some... slight smut next? maybe...? **

**review my lovelies! **


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty-six:

March 2013

_"__You've got 'em wrapped around your finger  
Watch 'em fall down  
There's something beautiful and tragic in the fall out-  
Let me say it one more time"_

_"Miss Jackson" Panic! At the Disco_

When Andrea first entered the prison, the first thing she was met with was the sound of a sweet song. Curious, she followed her ears towards the inner cellblock only to find Beth singing gleefully with a baby boy on her lap. The young girl was loudly singing a southern song on the bottom step while Heaven danced around the room with Carol who laughed when Heaven spun her out.

Spotting Andrea, Heaven released Carol's hand, who had gone stiff from shock, and danced over towards the blond. Heaven swept the woman up in dance and paraded her through their tiny home. Andrea couldn't help but chuckle at Daryl's girl acting so cheerfully. Beth finished her song and stood, handing the baby over to Heaven who affectionately kissed the top of his head.

"So Daryl's got a son, huh?" Andrea asked, smiling happily as Heaven handed the boy to her.

Andrea bounced him on her hip, cradling his head to her chest. It was odd seeing such innocence in their world. The little boy looked just like his father, only more pure, untainted from the outside world. She turned when Carol descended the stairs, holding yet another baby.

"Beau and Judith." Beth grinned brightly, clasping her hands behind her back. "Kinda like Adam and Eve now."

"Lori?" Andrea asked in a small voice, her heart squeezing tightly when she watched their faces fall.

"Beth's doing a good job as Nanny." Heaven said, her voice straining as though she was trying not to cry. She rubbed the girl's back. "Ain't ya?"

Beth nodded sadly.

Heaven took Beau while Carol and Andrea went to change Judith. Beth followed the older woman towards the outdoors, sighing that some sunlight would do them some good. The pair sat on the bleachers, watching the men talk among themselves; Daryl glanced over and made a gesture that told her he was keeping his eye on her. Heaven blew him as kiss as he turned back. Beth sighed and rested her head on the older woman's shoulder.

"I wanna be in love like you an' Daryl." The young girl said dreamily.

Heaven snorted, adjusting the little hat on Beau's head. "I wouldn't say it's love, honey."

Beth craned her neck, looking up at Heaven. "What d'ya mean? The two of you must be in love. Why else would ya have a baby?"

Heaven laughed at the girl's enthusiasm. She was probably the first to say that what her and Daryl had between them was love. Her Mama had called it lust. Merle called it "just a few too many good fucks". And she herself wasn't sure what had them tied together like they were. The baby could be half of it. But before that?

"Obligation," Heave nodded to herself, as though she really believed what she was saying. "He's obligated ta stick 'round 'cause he believes he has ta look after me."

Beth frowned, staring out at the men as they gave Andrea a car and filling it with some gas. Merle turned his head, facing the pair with a smirk. Beth shivered.

"Why?"

Heaven glanced down, puzzled. "Why? Honey, I've lived with Daryl since I was eighteen. His trailer was where I ran when my uncle assaulted me. Mama went ta jail 'round that time. I had no one but him, so he took me in. 'S all it is."

Beth dropped her chin into her hands, thinking. She watched Daryl growl something at his brother, his blue gaze flicking over towards Heaven. The woman next to her had it all wrong. Daryl cared for her more than she knew or would say aloud. The hunter was a mess when he thought Heaven was dead and he was a pitiful shell while Heaven recovered from her fever. Just by the way he looked at her Beth could tell that the hunter cared for Heaven deeply.

X

The second they pulled into the feed store, Heaven bolted out of the car and towards the field where she promptly vomited into the weeds. She said it was just carsickness, as she had been nauseous the entire ride. Daryl hadn't wanted her to come, but Rick insisted that they needed someone like Daryl, someone who wasn't Merle, but more like Daryl. So Heaven came along.

Sitting cross-legged on the hood of the car, her blue eyes scanned the fields, silence filling the air. A rustle. Her eyes flicked over towards the wooden shack where Daryl had crouched by a bush. Turning her attention towards the road again, she spotted a large, tan truck coming towards them. She didn't move, only unsheathing her pearl-handled hunting knife.

Martinez took one look at the woman on the car and snorted with mocking laughter. "Really? Their guard is a woman?"

He blinked when there was a sharp pain between his thumb and index finger. Looking down on the hood of the car, where his hand was resting, he found a pretty looking knife sticking out between his hand. A trickle of blood oozed down over his thumb.

"Oops," Heaven stepped forward and grabbed the knife, making sure to knick him a little more. "I missed."

His upper lip curled, but whatever he was going to say was stopped but another gruff voice.

"Heaven,"

The woman spun on her heel and returned to her position on the hood of the car. Daryl appeared from around the side of the house and glared at the man who only moments before was inches away from his girl. Milton made a bee-line from the truck towards Heaven, scribbling something in his notebook. He reminded her of Zoey, always taking down notes on the dead bodies that wandered around the prison yard.

Daryl watched the man warily, unsure of what questions the man would ask and how Heaven would reply. After she had learnt what kind of man the Governor was and what he had done, that twisted side of her had returned. Daryl hadn't seen her so cold and cruel since the night she snapped on Mabel.

"Andrea told me that you had a baby." Milton began, pushing his glasses up high on the bridge of his nose. "I'm keeping a little history book, you see, so I was wondering-"

"How I made it through? What it was like? How come I didn't die?" Heaven offered, crossing her arms. "Bein' pregnant is terrifyin' enough without all them Walker's 'round."

He scribbled something down. She wanted to introduce him to Zoey, the two could spend hours comparing notes and ideas. Hell, Zoey had started making a sort of family tree in the back of her little notebook of their family of survivors in the prison.

Milton looked up, observing her. "And the baby? How is it?"

Heaven forced a smile for the weak looking man. "He's healthy and growin' daily. Beau is a blessed an' lucky lil' boy."

Milton smiled and scribbled in his notebook while wandering over towards a bench. Hershel followed him, patting Heaven on the shoulder as he went, and sat next to the man.

X

"That woman, she your wife?" Martinez asked, leaning against the silo next to Daryl.

The hunter lit his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke. Taking the cylinder from his lips, he scratched his eyebrow with the hand holding the cigarette. "Yeah, som'n like that."

Martinez chuckled. "She's a real firecracker."

Daryl grunted a reply, flicking his eyes over the man next to him. "Yeah, she is."

"Kids? Or is it too much fun without them?" Martinez smirked, laughing slightly as he glanced around at the fields beside them.

Taking a long drag, Daryl blew a few circles with the smoke before answering. He really didn't want the man to know more than he wanted him too. What Heaven was to him meant nothing to the stranger beside him. He didn't know anything and he didn't need to. If the man new that Heaven was his wife and had his child, he hoped that if the man was thinking anything, he'd back off.

"Yeah," Daryl nodded, taking another pull of the poison. "A son."

Martinez scratched the back of his head, moving towards the pair of cars where the rest of their group resided. Daryl followed his gaze, finding Heaven still sitting on the car hood, only her eyes were fixated on the pair.

"Word to the wise?" Martinez offered, glancing back at the hunter. "Don't try for another."

X

Daryl sat on the edge of the cot in the cell her shared with Heaven even since her fever. He didn't like the feel of it, often finding it hard to sleep and opting to take taps on his mattress outside the cells. An old U.S. letter box was the make-shift crib for Beau and Daryl had been thinking of carving a cradle for the little shit before winter started.

He was unlacing his boots when two bare feet appeared in his view. Intrigued, he slowly ran his gaze up a pair of bare, pale legs, up a curved torso clad in a t-shirt, to finally meet eyes with Heaven. She cupped his cheeks softly, staring down at him with a small smile. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her middle, burying his face in her stomach.

"Where's the lil'n?" he asked softly, his voice vibrating through her skin.

Heaven ran her fingers through his greasy hair. "Merle fell asleep with Beau on his chest. Zoey's with them; keppin' an eye on him."

"Fucker's not gonna leave th' kid 'lone now." Daryl sighed, then pulled Heaven back with him as he rolled back onto the bed.

Heaven gasped, finding herself flat on her back with the dark hunter leaning over her. His baby blue eyes, as deep as crystals, stared down at her like he was seeing her for the first and last time. The hands on either side of her head gripped the sheets.

He was fighting a battle within himself. Since their encounter in the woods a few months ago, he had craved Heaven more than anything. He had forgotten how her lips tasted, how her skin smelt. His fingertips couldn't remember the feel of every inch of her skin or what she sounded like when kissed every millimeter of her body.

Since their quickie in the woods, he had been reluctant to do anything else. He was terrified. If she got pregnant, there was no turning back. They didn't have any condoms or birth control and pulling out sometimes didn't work. He couldn't lose her. Not again. Not ever.

Sensing something was wrong, Heaven lent up and pressed her lips against his, moving them softly, sweetly. He pulled back, shaking his head and rolling off her. Grinding the heels of his hands in his eyes her growled in frustration.

"Really? Am I that unappealin' now?" Heaven whispered, crossing her arms over her chest as if to cover herself from him.

Daryl sat up so quickly he whacked his head on the bunk above them. Cursing he said, "No! Never! It's just…"

"Just what?" she countered, staring up at him so pitifully his heart bled a little.

Heaving a heavy sigh, he lay back down and collected her in his arms, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She curled against his chest, humming in content. Their legs tangled together as he held her close.

"That Mexican…" he licked his lips, picking his words carefully. "He said it wasn't a good idea ta have another baby. Tryin' ta play it safe, is all."

Heaven chuckled, pulling back a little to look at his serious face. "So we're never gonna have sex again? Jumpin' on the wagon?"

Daryl shuttered at the thought. "I ain't got no… y'know…"

"Mr. Dixon, is that a blush I see?"

The hunter ruffled her hair and laughed softly with her, if only to ease the uncomfortable feeling he had. Talking about these kinds of things was just… awkward for him, even if it was with Heaven.

"So lemme get this straight." Heaven muttered, tracing his chin and jaw with her thumbnail. "Yer afraid that just once, after I haven't had my period in months, will get me pregnant?"

He stiffened. "Well, yeah… I guess."

She sighed, playing with a curl of hair against his throat. Heaven smiled weakly at his concern. However, after today, she wasn't sure they would prevent that from happening anymore.

After a few moments, she listened to his heartbeat and steady breathing. As comforting as it should have been, she failed to find any comfort in it. She opened her mouth, the words tingling on the tip of her tongue like citrus. She was going to say. She was going to confess all over her sins just like she had before shit hit the fan. Just like she was the second time she found out that she was pregnant.

Instead, she kissed his pulse, feeling him groan. She trailed her lips up his throat, along his jaw line, then to his lips. Daryl kissed her back roughly, his leg pressing between her own. Her tiny hands worked to unbutton his shirt while his gripped every inch of skin under her thin t-shirt.

She made him forget his worries in sloppy kisses and bruising touches. She made his mind mush with her fingertips, his words nothing but single syllables that didn't make sense. He cursed, he chanted her name, he begged, he pleaded. Heaven made him forget about his worries as the stars burst behind his eyelids. When he let animalistic lust take over, after being without her for so long, she couldn't help but let a tear slide down her cheek.

**A/N: it is the most awkward thing writing like the last to paragraphs in open sight of the parental units! **

**thank you to everyone who reviews, views, follows, favorites, ect. Y'all are awesome! **

**please review!**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

_August 1996_

_"Right from the day of our doomed beauty_

_I saw my future in your eyes_

_Save the words you've rehearsed_

_We both know I won't be fine"_

_"Marlboro Lights" Natalia Kills_

_ It was one of those nights, the nights where she ran to Daryl's trailer just because she was lonely. Her Mama was out again, busy doing one thing or another and luckily for her, Uncle Job wasn't home. She made her journey through the woods towards the back of the Dixon trailer. She crawled through the window only to find that Daryl wasn't there._

_ A note on the pillow said that he was out late for work and that if she was there to get away, then to just crash on his bed until he got home. Flopping down on his bed, she stared at the ceiling until she grew hungry and bored and had to pee. Getting up, she padded down the hall towards living room, where the kitchen was attached. _

_ "Who th' fuck are ya?"_

_ The gruff voice startled Heaven, who jumped slightly at the sudden noise. She turned towards the couch where an older man sat with a beer resting on his knee. Merle. Daryl had told her about him from time to time and how he was doing some time in jail for a DUI and aggravated assault. _

_ "Heaven," she mumbled, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the bedroom she had just appeared from. "I'm a friend of Daryl's."_

_ Merle chuckled, taking a long swig of his beer and patting the spot on the couch next to him. Nervous, Heaven sat down, believing that it was better to just listen to the man then go against him. She sat cross-legged and watched him with weary eyes. _

_ "Daryl tol' me 'bout ya." He said at last, tossing the empty bottle across the room where it smashed against a wall. "Tol' me 'bout how ya stay 'round here fer th' nights."_

_ Heaven nodded, wondering what he was getting at. _

_ "It ain't like my baby brotha ta take in a stray." Merle burped and stretched his arms out along the back of the couch. Heaven shied away from him, his greedy eyes falling on hers. "Ya usin' him?"_

_ Heaven shook her head. "No, I really, really, like Daryl. He's so kind ta me."_

_ "Kind ta ya, huh?" Merle chuckled. "I git it, he likes ya. Must be som'n in ya that he likes. Ya just gotta promise me that ya'll take care o' him. No lyin'. No cheatin'. No secrets. Not'n. Ya hear?"_

_ Heaven nodded vigorously. _

X

May 2013

Heaven peeked into Merle's cell. There on the cot sat Merle, little Beau lying next to him, giggling at something Merle had said even if he didn't understand it. She sighed. Since the eldest Dixon had arrived, Zoey had taken to leaving the baby with him while she did a few chores. At first it was an odd thing to see Merle act so… gentle, towards the child. Daryl told her that until he was seven, it was Merle that raised had him, not his Mama and certainly not his father.

Resting a hip on the doorframe, she crossed her arms and smiled at the odd sight. "Ya never took me fer a fatherly type, Merle."

Merle didn't glance up at her, probably already knowing that she was there. He went about lacing his boots, reaching out to rub Beau's belly from time to time. "Th' hell ya think raised Daryl?"

"It's nice." She said softly. "It means a lot."

"I'm sure." He muttered, straightening up, placing his hands on his knees. "Ya mean the world ta Daryl, I hope ya understand that."

Heaven's face fell and she tightened her arms around her torso. Her blue eyes flicking down to the floor at his feet.

"Ya don' feel th' same way?"

Her head snapped up. "I do, it's just…"

"Ya feel like an obligation." He finished for her, his eyes narrowing. "Listen, girl, I ain't never seen my baby brotha look a woman like he looks at ya. Ain't never seem him happier than when yer dancin' 'round with lil' Beaudean. He loves ya."

Heaven nodded, taking a shaky breath. "Why are ya tellin' me this?"

"I ain't gon' be 'round fer ever. Wanna see him happy, is all."

She nodded, watching as he scooped Beau up in his arms and ruffled the boy's hair. Telling him that he was going to be a lady-killer when he grew up. That he would be a better hunter than his Daddy and have a sharper tongue than his Mama. Heaven's heart sank, knowing that he was about to do something foolish that could possibly kill him.

"I think I'm pregnant." She spit out so quickly she was unsure if he understood her or not.

Merle stared at her with wide eyes. "Ya better find out fer sure."

X

May 2013

While Daryl lay asleep on their cot that night, Beau nestled on his chest; Heaven stared at the bunk above them. For a while she listened to his slow breathing and the gentle snores from their son. Rolling her head to the side, she studied his features in the darkness. He seemed so peaceful when he slept, forgetting all of that day's worries.

"Daryl," she whispered, barely more than a breath leaving her lungs. "I love ya more than ya will ever know."

She waited, making sure that he was still sleeping and wasn't faking. It wasn't often that the pair confessed their love to one another.

"If… if I was pregnant again…" she took a deep breath, wiping away a few more tears. "I think ya would be alright with it. But… I don't wanna another baby, Daryl. I don't wanna go through that again…"

Curling on to her side, she wept as silently as she could. Her back turned to the single eye that opened to watch her curl away from him.

X

June 2013

"Maggie, I need you to come with me on a run into town." Heaven whispered to the brunette one afternoon after lunch.

Maggie smiled, peeking back over her shoulder at the woman bouncing the toddler on her hip. "Why? Need some more… _supplies_?"

Heaven bit her lip and glanced around the room. Zoey and Beth were playing peek-a-boo with Judith. One or two of the newcomers from Woodberry were lingering behind, chatting.

She leant forward and whispered in Maggie's ear, "I think I'm pregnant."

Maggie dropped the plate she was washing, letting it clatter to the floor. Everyone turned to stare at the pair. Quickly, the eldest Greene daughter nodded to her and went back to what she was doing.

Beau was left in the care of Zoey while she and Maggie went to town. The car ride was silent, Maggie driving while Heaven sat in the passenger seat with her feet up on the dash. They had told Rick and Daryl that they were going to get some feminine products- which was partly true. But that was the only reason they were allowed to leave the prison.

"Never learnt to drive." Heaven announced, breaking the silence.

"Really?" Maggie peeked over at her, smiling slightly.

Heaven shrugged. "Daryl tried ta teach me once or twice; let me sit on his lap. We'd normally end up on th' side 'o some back road steamin' up the windows."

Maggie chuckled.

Heaven turned to the younger woman, hoping to make some confession game that could chase away the silence. The confession game was something the girl's at her school used to play. "Now, ya gotta confess somethin'."

"Hmm," the Greene girl thought for a moment before her face darkened. "Glenn and I… we haven't used a condom in a month- ran out- and I…"

"Accidents happen." Heaven sighed.

The rest of the drive was silent. They pulled up at the drugstore and quickly and silently cleared it of two lone Walkers. The pair stuffed their bags with medicines, and anything else that seemed useful. Each grabbed a test and on the drive back, pulled over to use them.

Maggie squatted on one side of the road and Heaven on the other. They had to be quick about it, or a Walker would catch them with their pants down. Zipping up her jeans, Heaven leant against the car while she waited for the plastic stick to tell her her future. Maggie trotted over and leant beside her, the pair staring intently at the test.

"Negative," Heaven sighed, letting out a gentle laugh. "Thank God."

But Maggie didn't move, her eyes wide at her own test. Tears slid down her cheeks, her hands shaking. Worried, Heaven looked down at the test, her heart sinking. Maggie looked up at the older woman, her eyes almost pleading for her to tell her it was just a dream or some sick joke. Wrapping her arms around the younger girls shaking body Heaven let her cry onto her chest, comforting her.

Heaven looked towards the sky, blinking back her own tears. "Please Lord, give us some good luck."

**A/N: hope y'all didn't think that i was gonna keep to the original storyline all the way through, huh? surprised? i can dish out more surprises if y'all like!**

**Review! I love them so much like i love those who view, review, favorite, follow, etc. **


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

May 1999

_"One will give you hell, one will give you heaven_

_Hit me like a man, love me like a woman_

_Love me like a woman"_

_"Hit Me Like A Man" The Pretty Reckless_

_It wasn't that Heaven ever _lied_ to Daryl; it was just that she _kept_ things from him. She knew neither were right and that her nighttime confessions to him eased something in his heart- but there were times when she had to keep secrets. Daryl himself had a few of his own stored away behind that wall of his, could anyone blame him? _

_For two years after Heaven had run away from home to live with the Dixon brothers, Heaven and Daryl argued like an old married couple. She wanted to go out and find a job- what spurred this was a 'Help Wanted' sign posted outside a restaurant- but he refused to let her. She was smart, she was beautiful; she could go off to some community college and find a higher paying job. Leave their town. Make something of herself. _

_"I'm not leaving ya!" Heaven shrieked, throwing her hands up in the air at the very thought of leaving the only man she ever had respect for. _

_Daryl lent over the sink, his hands gripping the edge so tight his knuckles turned white. He didn't want to be the cement block that weighed her down to the bottom of the river. He didn't want her to look back and regret that she didn't become something. That she'd thrown everything away for some redneck piece of shit._

_God, it would kill him to watch her leave. To know that she had found someone else, someone that could shower her in pretty clothes and expensive gifts. It would be enough to rip his beating heart out of his chest but she would be happy and that was all that mattered. _

_"I'm nothin'!" he reared around to face her, his face set into a hard expression that sent shivers down her spine. "I ain't nothin' in this goddamn world. Look at ya, ya could get anyone, anything'. Why me?"_

_"I don't want fancy thin's." she cried, "I love ya, Daryl Dixon! Ain't that enough? Ain't I enough?"_

_Daryl cupped her face in his large hands, his touch feather light, terrified that he would bruise her. "Darlin', yer more than I ever wanted. But I ain't enough fer ya. I ain't what ya need."_

_Shaking her head, Heaven pulled away from him and ran to their bedroom, slamming the door shut. Fury twisted in his stomach. Picking up an empty beer bottle, Daryl threw it across the room, howling as it smashed against the wall._

X

June 2013

The second they pulled into the prison, Daryl jogged out to meet them. Glenn and Rick came out shortly after to help take in the things the women had brought back. Maggie, still shaken up over the newfound pregnancy, numbly followed the men back into the prison. Heaven watched them go, crossing her arms like a mother hen observing one of her chicks trot away with a roster. Maggie would tell Glenn in private first, and then announce it during dinner- that much was decided.

Daryl slammed the trunk shut and stood next to Heaven, casually noting that she seemed worried over something.

"Everythin' alright?" he asked.

She hesitated then nodded slightly.

"Good," he placed his hand on the small of her back, steering her towards the prison entrance. "'Cause we need ta talk."

X

The group had only seen the pair fight twice. The first was in their camp just out side of Atlanta, when Daryl had returned from a hunt to find his brother missing. When he said she wasn't family. The second was at their home in the cemetery, when she was tired of him treating her like a China doll. Those arguments were calm discussions compared to what the group was now listening to.

Voices were raised, echoing off the halls from the boiler room. Things were thrown. There were pauses, screams, howls, at times even silence. It reminded Carol of her husband and at once Rick started for the boiler room, but Hershel stopped him. He said they needed to work things out. This was just how they communicated their anger.

X

"Enough with th' secrets!" Daryl snarled, his tone vicious and fed-up. "Since all this shit started ya've only been keepin' shit from me! Had ta learn from some bitch ya was pregnant. Now ya can't even bring yerself ta admit ta me that yer pregnant. What? Ya afraid it ain't mine?"

Heaven's shoulders tensed, her eyes squeezing shut, a few crystal-like tears gliding down her pink cheeks. She deserved this. She knew that. His words hurt worse than if he would have hit her. If he had hit her, she deserved that too. He didn't deserve her. He deserved better. Anyone but her.

"There's no one else." She whimpered. "Only ya."

Daryl raked his fingers through his hair, taking a few calming deep breaths. "Had ta learn from Merle that ya think yer an obligation ta me. That what'cha think?"

Heaven shook her head. If everything was erupting around them, then she needed to explode as well. Bottled up anger poured out of her like a bottle of champagne.

"I only think that since ya treat me like one!" she jabbed a finger at him.

"How?" he roared, his face contorting in anger, his face and neck red. "How th' fuck do I treat ya like an obligation? Huh?"

"When did ya admit ya loved me, Daryl?"she barked, pushing her flat hands against his tough chest. "Huh? Why'd ya save me that night? Ya coulda turned a blind eye. Let 'em rape me. Ya felt sorry for me?"

Daryl grabbed her wrists before she could punch his chest anymore. She struggled a little before stopping to glare up at him. He stared down at the woman he had known since he was eighteen. She was still the woman he had learnt to care for. The woman that stuck up for him, cared for him, loved him. The girl that kissed his scars the first night they had sex. When he was meant to be taking her virginity she was kissing away his pain. His past.

An obligation.

It might have started out like that first. But it bloomed into something more. Something that meant something to him.

"Sure," Daryl snapped, "I coulda let 'em do that ta ya but it ain't who I am. I coulda kept yer rosary. Coulda kicked ya out when ya showed up on my front porch lookin' like a mess. But I didn't."

Her eyes narrowed as she bit the inside of her cheek, chewing on her words.

"I didn't tell ya I loved ya until I was sure of it." He said, softer this time. "Ain't no one ever loved me. Not my Ma, not my father, hell, not even Merle. I didn't know what it was like. What I was meant ta feel."

"I didn't tell ya I was pregnant with Beau 'cause I knew ya'd treat me like ya did." Heaven sighed, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his heartbeat. "I took a test. I'm not pregnant. I wasn't gonna tell ya 'till I was sure."

Daryl wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Ain't no one else?"

"Ain't no one else." She whispered.

He dipped his head down and kissed her slowly, softly, the way every girl wants to be kissed. Loved. His lips moved against hers like he had when he first kissed her. She still tasted just as sweet. Was still small and breakable in his arms and under his touch.

Calloused fingers trailed up the skin under her dress, ghost-like breaths trailing up her thighs. Heaven hooked her thumbs in his belt loops, pulling him closer. Parting for breath, he gazed down at her, pressing his forehead against hers. Her chest heaved, pushing against his. He opened his mouth to say something but she covered his mouth with her own and hooked her legs around his waist.

Daryl chuckled, wrapping one arm around her waist, the other supporting himself on the wall behind them. His hands eagerly worked at his belt, hers tangled in his hair. Just when his belt came undone-

"Daryl, Heaven, is everything…" Rick cut himself off, mortified as the couple turned to him in their… position. The former police officer backed up, mumbling a quick apology.

**A/N: I have been slacking on updating! I'm so sorry! School's been a bitch! Seriously, i should be doing an english project right now but instead i'm updating this fanfic. obviously i don't have my priorities sorted. **

**please review! Tell me how i'm doing! anything y'all want to happen?**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Twenty-Nine

May 1997

_"Here's to all that we kissed_

_And to all that we missed_

_To the biggest mistakes_

_That we just wouldn't trade_

_To us breaking up_

_Without us breaking down_

_To whatever's come our way"_

_"Here's To Us" Halestorm_

_Daryl snuck through her bedroom window. Her Uncle was passed out drunk on the couch, or at least that's what she told him. He had nothing better to do and since he hadn't seen her in a while… he bit the bullet and took the chance._

_She wasn't in her room when Daryl arrived, so he sat on the windowsill and waited. The TV was on, he could hear it through the old walls, and like always it was the news. Other than that, it was silent and he felt awkward. He'd snuck into her room plenty of times but never alone like this. She would always be there to greet him cheerfully. That night he was met with empty silence._

_The walls were painted a pale shade of pink, but over the years she had drawn on them in thick black sharpie. After she had met him, his own drawings were added along with sweet (or in some cases, innuendos) that he would leave for her after she had fallen asleep. _

_There was a photo on her nightstand, the only picture in her room. It was of her Mama, her daddy, and her. Her daddy had left when she was five, she had told him, this was their last picture as a family. _

_On her bed sat three stuffed animals. Each Daryl had won at the County fair for her. Her bed was unmade and dirty clothes littered the floor. She never was the tidiest, that he knew. The full length mirror was covered in reminders written in lipstick or something like that. Coffee cups cluttered her dresser and a bra hung off the door handle._

_A car drove pass on the road behind him, causing him to flinch. Then the door opened, closed, and by the soft click, it was locked. Heaven was standing at the door, a smirk painted on her lips and she was wearing nothing but a tank top and a pair of blue panties. _

_"Evenin'." Daryl greeted, trying his best to keep his eyes on her eyes._

_Sure they'd only done it a few times before, but it was always awkward and she sure as hell was never that bold. He inched off the windowsill and wondered if it was safe to move towards her. Then she grinned and laughed and jumped onto her bed in such a way that told him that he wasn't getting any tonight._

_"Did I get ya all excited?" She chuckled, pulling out a notebook from under her bed. _

_Throwing himself on the bed beside her, Daryl draped his forearm over his eyes and tried to think of dead dogs and naked old ladies. "Yer cruel."_

_"Yeah, well, what'cha gonna do?" She said lightly, swinging her legs up and down as she lay on her belly, penning something down her notebook. "If ya want I can..." She poked his thigh with her pen. "Y'know..."_

_Daryl swatted the pen away and she giggled. _

_The couple sat in silence. Daryl had the feeling that she had called him over so she wasn't alone. Her Uncle was as drunk as a skunk downstairs and Lord knows what he would do to her. So he laid there quietly watching her as she hummed a song and happily scribbled in the notebook he gave to her for her seventeenth birthday. She cried when he gave it to her because he was gone on her birthday and she had finally realized that Daryl was older than her. Much older than she'd always believed._

_Now at twenty-three, watching her at the age of eighteen, he still felt a little dirty. _

_"Mama wants me ta look at colleges in New York." Heaven said finally, not looking up from whatever she was writing. "I hate her."_

_Daryl rolled his head, facing her. Reaching out he brushed his knuckles against the bare skin of her forearm. "Yer goin', right?"_

_"Dunno." She scribbled something then turned to peer at him from over her bare shoulder. "I don't really wanna leave."_

_I sat up on my elbows. "Darlin', ya can't stay with me! There ain't nothin' I can get ya-"_

_Heaven's eyes darkened. "I don't care. I love ya an' that's enough fer me."_

_Staring at her wide eyed, Daryl tried to come up with something to say but failed. Heaven turned back to her notebook._

_"It's my life. I'll do what I want with it." She carried on, her pen scratching at the old, dry paper. "I can always tell her I'll go ta community college ta get my useless classes outta th' way. Get ta spend more time with ya that way."_

_Closing her notebook, she tossed it back under the bed and threw the pen across the room. Flopping back beside him, she wiggled closer and pressed her lips to his pulse. Daryl shivered, rolling over to wrap her up in his arms. _

_"I ain't good fer ya." He told her for the hundredth time._

_Heaven traced his chin with her fingertip. "But I love ya anyway."_

X

June 2013

All through dinner Heaven watched Maggie and Glenn grin like teenagers in love for the first time. Zoey was busy discussing superheroes with Carl, the pair looking over a new comic book that Michonne had brought back. Beau gurgled in her lap, whining when she pulled him away from her breast and fixed her shirt.

Daryl wandered in and placed a soft kiss on Heaven's cheek. Taking a seat next to her, he took his son and placed him on his lap, leaning down to kiss to top of his head. Zoey and Carl were in a heated argument over who was better- Batman or Superman- when Glenn stood up and tapped a tin cup with his spoon.

"Uh, everyone!" his timid voice echoed, bringing a calm quiet over the cafeteria. "Maggie and I have an announcement."

Unable to contain herself, Maggie jumped to her feet. "I'm pregnant!"

Beth squealed and threw herself on her sister. Hershel shook Glenn's hand while a few others came over to congratulate the couple. Heaven smiled to herself, grinning when Zoey pumped her fist into the air, ecstatic over being able to babysit another baby.

It was Heaven that had sat down with Maggie and talked to her about her fears of pregnancy. She explained that the prison was safe, the Governor was gone. If Judith was growing at a healthy pace and Beau was a blessing considering there was a 50% chance Heaven couldn't have children again. If Maggie took good care of herself, then everything would be fine.

"You deserve to be happy." Heaven told Maggie, gently wiping away her tears. "This is a blessing."

And it was. Having a baby with the world like it was dangerous, but there needed to be babies or their kind would die out. Maggie was strong, healthy, able, she would be fine. Heaven didn't have a doubt that the young woman couldn't handle it.

X

The next morning, Heaven was 'enjoying' an ice cold shower with a shrieking little Beau in her arms. The little boy was so amused by the sprinkles of water, then he would slap it, pull his hand back and laugh, looking at his mother with excitement. Heaven chuckled and tried to quiet him, worried that a stray Walker would find them.

Someone did find them, however. Heaven nearly screamed when two large hands came to rest on her naked hips. Daryl chuckled in her ear, wrapping a towel around Heave and his son. The woman swatted at him, snapping that he scared her half to death, the towel slipping from her shoulders with her sudden movement. He smirked, not hiding how his eyes raked over her naked body.

After a few punches, Daryl sat quietly on the bench, putting Beau into a clean diaper while Heaven dried herself off. His eyes ran over her pale skin, tracing her tattoos. The demon on her ankle. The Latin inscription down her spine. Hell, she had one of their most gushy notes inked onto her ribcage in curled writing.

He was one hell of a lucky guy.

Dressed in a fresh, loose dress with her hair tied back in a long braid, Heaven took Beau and lead the way out of the showers. Unable to help himself, Daryl came up behind her and grabbed her hips, kissing her neck. She smirked and swished her braid over the shoulder he was kissing. He moved to the other side. Stopping, she let her bottom meet his causing him to groan like an animal in heat.

"Heaven!" Zoey leaned over the railing of the upstairs cells. Her veil of sleek black hair hung in her face. "Hey, Heaven! C'mere!"

Grinning back at Daryl, she handed him the baby and sashayed away. He was speechless.

Heaven found Beth and Zoey sitting on the floor of her cell. Since the people from Woodberry had arrived, Zoey had bunked with the Dixon family. It was temporary- Daryl made that clear but Zoey countered that he only wanted it temporary so he could go back to slamming the headboard against the wall. Still, Heaven was surprised to find her little notebook sitting on the floor. Both girls were kneeling beside it, staring at the blue thing like it would self-combust if they so much as breathed on it.

"What's this?" Beth asked innocently, pointed at the notebook.

Heaven smiled and collected the book, placing herself between the two younger girls. They used the bed to rest their backs as Heaven opened up the object both girls had been too afraid to open. She was happy that they had respected her privacy- something that was as rare as the living those days.

The first page had a picture of Heaven and Daryl taped to it. They were both young, but Heaven appeared to be much younger, wearing a school uniform. Below the photo was the scribbled writing the girls could only guess was Daryl's.

_Happy 17th birthday, darling_

_Sorry I couldn't be there to celebrate it with you_

_I'll make it up, promise_

Zoey covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh my God, this is too cute!"

Beth shook her head. "He never took me for the sentimental type."

Heaven laughed, "He only made th' notebook with some animal skin an' such. That lil' note was the only thing he wrote in this. He didn't even want ta have this picture taken."

She flipped the page, revealing a variety of Polaroid photos ranging from Daryl sleeping, to playing the shaving cream prank on Merle, to one of the pair unattractively sleeping. The girls giggled, then awed at the notes pasted to the next page.

"My Mama didn't like him." Heaven sighed, running her fingers over the delicate paper. "He'd sneak over sometimes when she was out but… most of th' time it was notes. He made this lil' birdhouse with a secret compartment an' we'd hide our notes there- it even had a red flag like mailboxes do."

"How clever." Beth gushed, peering down at a few of the notes. "He must really love ya ta go against yer Mama."

The next pages held more photos of the pair; mostly one's that Daryl either didn't know where taken or didn't want taken. There were more notes. Movie ticket nubs. Pressed flowers. Everything that reminded her of how their relationship came to be. That little notebook was one of the few personal belongings Heaven had brought with her when the outbreak started.

However, her smile faded at the sight of the last picture. With tears racing down her cheeks, she lightly touched the glassy image of Daryl and Merle standing with a deer draped over their shoulders. Heaven stood next to them, three rabbits tied together hanging from her hand. Bonnie and Clyde jumped up on her happily.

Now only two of the people in the photo were alive. The other three were gone.

**A/N: holy shit is this chapter uneventful and boring! I need some action up in this fanfic! **

**sooo i'm gonna confess that i always wanted a teenage romance like i'm having Daryl and Heaven have. who doesn't want a cute guy to climb in your window at night? (someone i know obviously)**

**review please! tell me how i'm doing! **

**and shoutout to mrskaz453 for her awesome detailed reviews! they're so nice! and a big shoutout to every one who reviews and gives support cause without y'all this would never get finished.**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter thirty:

May 2012

_"To exterminate the plague_

_Coiling my brain_

_I put the pen to the pad_

_Until the madness drains"_

_"Serv Asat" Otep_

_Zoey stared out the window of the car. It was raining out, the streams of water racing down the glass in zigzag patterns. Her chin was resting in her palm, her cheek pressed against the cool window. The highway was packed. It was a sea of honking horns and people shouting "What's the hold up?" at each other like anyone knew what was going on._

_The radio kept repeating the same thing._

_"This is a public service announcement. Please remain calm. Stay indoors, I repeat, stay indoors. This is a-"_

_And then it would repeat itself over and over. No matter how many times they told everyone to remain calm, no one was going to listen. People were viciously attacking people out in the streets. Neighbors against neighbors. Family members against family members. There was no rhyme or reason to it. Just mindless brutal behavior._

_Everyone wanted out of the cities. The more bodies, the more violence, the higher risk of death. Yet, there they were, sitting ducks on the middle of the Highway just north-east of Atlanta. She and Mike had gone to south Carolina to visit his parents- currently on their way home when the outbreak started. A few hours back a rumor went around that there was a safe place in Atlanta that was taking in refugees. But that was hours ago._

_Finally Mike turned off the radio, causing Zoey to raise her head and peer towards her boyfriend._

_"I was listening to that." She snapped._

_Mike gripped the wheel. "I'm tired of hearing the same thing over and over. They're not even telling us what's going on."_

_"Maybe they have a reason to." Zoey grumbled, turning back to the window. The car next to them had a family inside. The father was reading a picture book to the two little girls in the back and the mother was feeding her baby._

_"Well, it would be nice to know why my brother randomly threw me down a flight of stairs." Mike grumbled, leaning back in his chair. The cluster of cars ahead of him hadn't moved in some time, there was no use in waiting for it to move anytime soon._

_Laurence whined in the back. Zoey twisted around and patted the white dog's head. He took up most of the backseat, his face pressed against the glass beside him. He looked around at the world with one little black eye. The windows beside him were steamed up due to his loud panting. Zoey wanted to roll down the window for him but Mike was against it._

_"I know, buddy. This sucks." She cooed, scratching under his chin._

_"I don't know why you brought him. They probably don't allow animals." Mike grunted, shifting the car into park._

_Zoey glared at him. "Then I'll take my chances in the woods. I'm not leaving him."_

_"So you'd leave me for a dog?" _

_Zoey stared at her boyfriend for a long moment. When they first started dating she had thought the world of him, but now she wasn't so sure. Now they argued more than talked and a few nights prior he had laid a hand on her, causing a nasty bruise on her cheek. He wasn't the same man she had fallen in love with. He was different._

_"I was going to leave you anyway. It's not the dog's fault." She growled, curling back into her seat and crossing her arms._

_Mike opened his mouth to say something else on the matter when a couple of people a few cars ahead got out of their vehicles. They grouped together, discussing something before there was a loud scream that echoed along the rows of cars._

_"What the hell's going on?" Mike stepped out of the car and peered over at the people who were either rushing back into their cars or rushing down the aisles. _

_When Mike turned to get back into the car, someone ran up behind him and grabbed him by the neck. The strange man was covered in blood and within seconds had sunk his teeth into her boyfriend's neck. Without a second thought, Zoey grabbed the door and slammed it shut, locking the car and turning it off. There were bullet wounds in him but they didn't seem to bother him. As he tore into Mike like a meal, his long fingers ripping her boyfriend's throat, Zoey squeaked, covering her mouth in horror. _

_Blood splattered over the driver's side of the car, mixing with the rain and running down the glass in pinkish streams. Zoey covered her mouth, preventing a scream from erupting from her lungs. Laurence barked, confused at the loud noises coming from outside. More screams. Gun shots. Shouts. _

_The monster standing outside the car turned towards the sound of her dog's bark. Its eyes were misted over, as if he was blind. Zoey locked her eyes onto his and she held her breath, praying that maybe he was blind and that she would be spared._

_After a minute, it turned and ran towards another car with a screaming child in it. Zoey dove into the back seat and pressed herself flat on the floor. Laurence spread himself across the seat, his head in his paws. An eye as big as marbles watched her sadly. _

_Before she knew it, Zoey's body began to shake with violent sobs. Fear gripped her chest and she forced herself to make her mind go blank. It was hard to breathe, hard to keep her breathing steady. Biting into her wrist, Zoey tried to stop herself from hyperventilating. This was the worst possible time for her to have a panic attack._

_Eventually everything went silent. No more screams. No more gun shots. Just silence._

X

July 2013

It was Zoey's turn in the watch tower. Her bright eyes scanned the fields before her, stray Walker's ambling about this way and that. From time to time she would pause and jot something down in her little notebook. It was something she had done a lot lately- something she found relaxing.

Rick had brought back a few of Milton's research books back for her to study. It was a present he told her, the former mortician in training. She'd spend hours going over Milton's notes and her own in an obsessive manner. How could the undead smell humans when they themselves were once human and could not smell another human? Why weren't they rotting- even in the winter?

"More notes?" Maggie sat on the edge beside Zoey, basking in the warm sunlight.

Zoey faltered in her writing. "It's therapeutic for me."

Maggie nodded her head, "Gonna tell me the truth, now?"

"About what?" a cold shiver went up the dark haired girl's spine.

The eldest Greene daughter turned to gaze at her. "About what'cha really did before the dead walked."

With a heavy sigh, Zoey set her notebook aside and stared down at her hands. She fumbled with the words in her head, trying to figure out a way to explain herself. It's not like she meant to lie- it's just that she didn't want her past to scare off the nice people that took her in. She looked up to Heaven, Maggie was her closest friend, she didn't want them to look at her like a freak. Not like Lori did.

"Three months before shit hit the fan, I was in a mental hospital." She confessed, daring to peek up at the brunette.

"For?" Maggie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Attempted suicide." Her voice was small and weak, her fingers twisting together then untwisting. "I… washed down a handful of pills with bleach."

"Why?" Maggie's tone was soft and concerned, not harsh or mocking.

Zoey wiped away a stray tear from her cheek, looking out across the field. "Because I fucking hated my life."

X

_May 2007_

_Everything was blurry; like the white fuzziness of heavy sleep at an early hour. It was a pure blindness of harsh light that stung her eyes, leaving her confused and anxious. After a moment she found herself, composing her thoughts as she opened her eyes completely. _

_How long had it been since she felt the happiness of daylight and not the cold, dark obsess she had been trapped in? Was it as long as it felt, floating in weightlessness as empty as the air? _

_The steady beat of a heart monitor chimed in the background. Was a window open? The sweet smell of spring drawing its airy fingers along her skin caused the corners of her mouth to tug into a small smile. Were birds singing their afternoon song? They sounded small and full of life, grateful to be able to tweet a small lullaby. _

_Forcing her eyes to turn, she found that she was in a small room. A hospital room. The window beside her bed let in the gentle breeze, lifting the pale curtains in a small wave. On the nightstand there were flowers, long since withered and dead. How long had the darkness held her? Why was she here?_

_Her eyes trailed down to the stiff figure in the chair near her. It appeared to be occupied by Mary, her choppy, curly hair hanging in her eyes as she bowed her head down in prayer._

_Then another question struck her. Why was she in a hospital? Did something awful happen to her?_

_Twitching her fingers she attempted to wake her sister and fish for answers. With a deep breath, and minutes of hard concentration, she managed to wiggle her fingers, brushing them along her cheek like a whisper. With a start, Mary leapt out of her chair and leant over her, her eyes watching her in awe. Searching her face, it seemed like she appeared to be just a dream to her and she was trying to convince herself that she was finally awake._

_ "Zoe… Zoe, you're awake." Her voice seemed breathless, a sigh of relief. Unsure if this was a reality or a dream._

_Everything came rushing back to her. The boys who stole kisses and lied as easily as they breathed left her self-esteem shattered, threadbare and unbearable. Starving herself to the point of exhaustion. The parties, the drinking and illegal drugs; how she begged for nothing more than to be accepted. She felt every emotion, every speck of pain and shame and found herself only hating this girl called Zoey even more. The moments of slicing her skin with knives rushed back at her, replaying like old terrifying home movies she couldn't hide her eyes from. The blood. The overdose of pills and bleach. All of it. Every single waking moment of her worthless life._

_And she screamed, finding the strength to thrash about in her bed. Pulling out the IV and other medical instruments attached to her weak body, she wailed and cried and clawed at the almost healed scars on her wrists, reopening them until she was finally able to be sedated._

X

Zoey pushed her food around her plate. Telling Maggie about her time in the mental hospital brought back some painful memories she wished would just stay buried. It was hard to push the thoughts away with how a few of the former Woodberry people giving her strange looks. Snake bites, a nose ring, tattoos, long, shaggy black hair- all of it made them wary of her.

Once or twice and older member had taken Beau from her while she was playing with him on a blanket outside. It was insulting and depressing. Sometimes she wanted to rip her flesh off her bones to hide her tattoos. The birdcage across her ribs, the burning heart between her breasts, a dragon wrapped around her right arm and two snakes twisting up the left.

A few of the women spoke poorly about Heaven- calling her "white trash" or "whore"- and Zoey wondered why it didn't seem to bother her. Maybe it was because Daryl loved her for who she was, that it didn't matter what anyone else thought, only him. But Zoey didn't have that kind of love in her life. On the rare nights that she had spent in Merle's cell before his death, she often sat up until the sunlight peeked through the barred windows talking with the older man. Like herself, he had spent time in prison- only a different kind- and told her that she didn't need anyone's approval but her own.

"It's on th' inside that counts." He said patting his own chest. "Ya saved my sister-in-law, ya look after Beaudean- there's a lot of good in ya. So fuck 'em if they don't see that."

If he had stuck around for a bit longer, she probably would have pushed for some kind of relationship with him- either one of friendship or "romance". It didn't matter now. He was dead.

"Evenin', Zoey." Rick sat beside her, resting an arm on the table so he could face her. "We're goin' on a run tomorrow, I was wonderin' if ya wanted ta tag along."

Zoey stared him for a few seconds. Rick was one of the few people that treated Zoey with respect and a needed member of the group. He thanked her for looking after Beau and at times Judith, and would bring her back a notebook or a packet of pens on the times he went on a run. He was the first to take interest in what she was writing down and the first (besides Heaven and Daryl) to accept her as a proper member of the group.

She wasn't going to deny it- she liked Rick.

So she bit her lip and nodded, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.

**A/N: so i wanted to give Zoey a little bit more backstory. mainly because i like her character and i haven't written too much about her and also because i'm running out of backstory for Heaven and Daryl. I hope y'all don't mind.**

**thank you to all who review cause y'all are awesome!**

**please review!**

**P.S: who can spot my tie in to the second half of season four?**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Two things: 1) Seriously guys, if you have nothing nice to say (i mean like mean, horrid things and not creative criticism) then please say nothing at all. 2) This chapter was written as a response to a review i received... guess what it was about. **

Chapter Thirty-One:

August 2013

_"__If I, if I  
Run away with you tonight, tonight  
We could make the wrongs feel right, so right  
We could do some damage,  
Fuck me in the Paris lights…"_

_"Stop Me" Natalia Kills_

Heaven lay sprawled out on a blanket in the middle of the prison floor, building blocks and a few ratty stuffed animals were scattered about around her. Beau was sitting beside her, babbling away about a painted block he was gripping. She had a growing pile of blocks on her stomach, which was where she kept them after he had given them to her as a gift. While he was "talking" she would smile and nod and agree with him, using his one-armed teddy as a puppet.

Merle had given the teddy to Beau, the first and last gift his nephew would receive from him. Heaven had named the stuffed toy after her son's uncle, which suited the one armed little bear. Beau couldn't live without it. So now she made its head nod in agreement with her and pat Beau's chubby thigh with its soft arm.

Beau was telling her about a stuffed squirrel Daryl had brought back from his last run, when he was suddenly picked up. He squawked, unhappy about being taken away from his toys. Heaven got to her feet in an instant. One of the middle aged Woodberry women was holding Beau, scowling at her with a look of pure distaste.

"What th' hell d'ya think yer doin'?" Heaven demanded, reaching out to take back her son.

The woman moved away, clutching the boy to her side like she was protecting him from an abusive parent and not his own mother. "I believe I'm protecting this child."

"Pro… protecting him? From what?" Heaven snapped, her heart sinking a little.

"From his own neglectful mother, that's what." The woman, whose name was Arlene, spat venomously. "You're always pawning him off on that unsightly woman. This boy needs his mother not that awful looking nanny."

"Excuse me?"

Arlene and Heaven turned to find Zoey standing in the entrance way of the cellblock. She dropped her bag onto the floor, a look of shock washing over her features. Daryl and Rick appeared beside her, all of them back from their run into town. Daryl's eyes flicked from Heaven to the woman holding his son.

"You heard me." Arlene grunted. "A woman like you shouldn't be around children."

"A woman like me?" Zoey exclaimed, storming towards the women.

Rick grabbed her arm, wanting to handle the situation in a civil manner, but the look she shot back at him caused his grip to slacken. It was a pained and pleading glance. On their run, Rick and Daryl interrogated her on the information that Maggie had told them. They wanted to know why she was in a mental institute. If she was a danger to the others.

Zoey told them that she was fine, that they didn't need to worry. She admitted that she was fond of the Greene family and the Dixon family. She'd rather die protecting them then die without them. Now that dark haired woman stood between Arlene and Heaven, pointing a finger at the older female.

"Are you any better?" she spit out, "Sure, I have piercings and tattoos but at least I don't judge people by their looks and not who they are inside."

"I trust Zoey," Heaven said softly, placing a hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

Arlene snorted and turned away from them, silently walking away with Heaven's son in her arms. Heaven cursed and rushed towards the woman but she jerked away, causing Beau to scream at the sudden movement. Rick and Daryl raced over, hoping to help handle the situation.

"Ma'am, give the boy back to his mother." Rick requested carefully, one hand on his gun, the other outstretched to show he didn't want to hurt her but would if he had to.

Daryl stood silently behind Zoey, gnawing on his thumb in thought. He watched as Arlene handed Beau back to Heaven, who held on tightly to her son, kissing the top of his head. The woman stalked off, swearing something about white-trash parents. Rick gently rubbed Heaven's arm, asking if she was alright, but the woman just turned and walked up the steps towards her cell.

Frowning, Zoey knelt down and picked up Beau's teddy. "S'all my fault."

Rick looked back at her, hands on his hips, lips pursed into a thin line. Daryl continued to chew on his thumbnail, glancing from Rick towards the cell where his wife and child slept.

"I love children, y'know? I've always been good with them." Zoey mumbled, glancing up at Rick with watery eyes. "I thought I could help Heaven out- since she's a main contributor to the group; trappin' rabbits and that. I don't mind looking after Beau- but I never wanted Heaven to be looked at as a bad mother."

Daryl patted her on the shoulder before making his way up the stairs towards the upper cells. "I'm thankful she has a friend like ya."

Zoey nodded, her lips trembling as she glanced back down at the teddy. She missed Merle, if she was being honest. She missed spending nights in his cell, talking and drinking. She missed his slurred advice and company. Burying her face in the teddy's soft stomach, she wept for how their lives had turned out.

X

Later that night, Heaven lay awake beside Daryl. He had one arm folded behind his head and the other draped over the sleeping form of his son. Heaven was nestled close to his body, her temple resting on his shoulder, her eyes tracing the features of her husband and son.

She couldn't stop thinking about what Arlene had said. Maybe she was a bad mother, always leaving Beau in the care of Zoey. But Zoey had always offered to take him for a bit to give her a rest. In order to set traps, she needed to go out to a part of the jail that was a little unsafe. She could have strapped her to her chest, like she did when she moved around the cellblock, but she didn't want to risk putting Beau in danger.

Zoey was always eager to take Beau off her hands. Always asking to take Beau for his nap, often falling asleep beside him with a little picture book open beside them. Zoey had been the youngest; she had never had a baby sibling to take care of. She was good with babies and Heaven didn't mind leaving her son with Zoey.

With a sigh, she moved to curl closer to Daryl when a horrendous scream ripped through the silence within the prison block. Heaven scooped Beau up into her arms and was out the door before Daryl had rolled out of the bunk. Zoey followed close beside Heaven, nimble fingers gripping her sleeve. The found the source of the scream and at the sight that they found made Heaven's heart sink.

The scream was Maggie's. She was sitting up in the bed she shared with Glenn, curled against his chest as he held her. She was sobbing uncontrollably, Hershel kneeling sadly by the bed. The sheets were stained with blood, a crimson pool that had bloomed like a flower of death.

Maggie had lost the baby.


End file.
